Yangtze finless porpoise F9C22 swims with its mother in the water at the Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) in Wuhan, Central China’s Hubei Province, on June 29, 2022. [IMAGES: XINHUA]

The whole process of a Yangtze finless porpoise giving birth was witnessed by people around the globe through live streaming platforms for the first time on July 5.

The process lasted one hour and a half as a science communication activity. It was held by media and research institutes as well as environmental protection authorities in Wuhan, Central China’s Hubei Province.

During the process, a camera was installed above the pool where the Yangtze finless porpoise, called Fujiu, gave birth to her baby. It allowed researchers to observe the process and provide rescue at any time. Scientific instruments were placed in the pool to record the sound signals emitted by the finless porpoise in real time.

“Each finless porpoise has its own personality. Fujiu has a strong imitation ability, and her own likes and dislikes,” said a researcher at the Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).

Fujiu ate a lot every day during pregnancy, about four to five kilograms, and sometimes more. Researchers fed her with live or frozen fish stuffed with folic acid and vitamin tablets.

The finless porpoise’s pregnancy is 12 months, and it gives birth to only one baby each time. The whole process of giving birth can take about one to two and a half hours.

Trainers are responsible for the daily life of the finless porpoises, interacting with them based on their own characters. They also collect blood, feces, urine and other samples in a non-invasive physical examination to assist in the study of their hormone levels and physical condition.

Researchers also take good care of the Yangtze finless porpoises, said Dr. Hao Yujiang, associate research fellow at CAS’s IHB. They take into full consideration all the details to create a good environment for pregnancy and birth.

As the finless porpoise is a seasonal breeding animal, the institute also facilitates finless porpoises to increase contact according to their breeding status and promote natural mating.

A pregnant finless porpoise will be transferred to the “delivery room” to ensure she has sufficient nutrition.

Researchers carry out real-time monitoring and nursing, observe and record the condition of the mother finless porpoise every day, and regularly perform B-ultrasound examinations on the fetuses.

Reproduction of finless porpoises requires a quiet environment as well as good and high-quality water at a temperature kept below 28℃.

When the Baiji dolphin was declared functionally extinct the Yangtze finless porpoise became the only mammal in the Yangtze River. Li Yanliang, head of the Aquatic Wildlife Protection Branch of the China Wildlife Conservation Association, said that the Yangtze finless porpoise is critically endangered.

The Yangtze finless porpoise, the world’s only freshwater porpoise, was upgraded to critically endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2013.

According to a blue book on the protection of aquatic wildlife in China released on May 22, 2022, the Yangtze finless porpoise is an important indicator and umbrella species regarding the health of the Yangtze River ecosystem, and it is therefore important to protect the Yangtze finless porpoises and undertake further research.

A scientific expedition researching the Yangtze finless porpoise showed that there were 1,012 finless porpoises in 2018: 445 in the main stream of the Yangtze River, 457 in Poyang Lake and 110 in Dongting Lake. Although the sharp decline in the number of the Yangtze River finless porpoises has been curbed, the species remains critically endangered.

In 2016, China launched a rescue action plan for the Yangtze finless porpoises, and in 2018, issued opinions on the protection of aquatic life in the Yangtze River. In addition, in 2021, the Yangtze River officially launched a 10-year fishing ban, and on February 4, 2021, 65 species of wild animals, including the Yangtze finless porpoises, were upgraded to national first-class protected wild animals from second class.

The protection of finless porpoises has been progressing. The mammal’s population in the Tian’ezhou Baiji National Nature Reserve of the Yangtze River in Hubei Province increased to 80 in 2020 from five in 1990, and the number in the Hewangmiao Reserve also reached 15 in 2020.

A new large-scale census of the Yangtze finless porpoises is expected to be launched this year to collect and release the latest data.

Source: Information Office of the Wuhan Municipal People’s Government