Do you want to know the past lives of the finless porpoise? Experts give you popular science: naughty and interesting "smiling angels"
The finless porpoise in the dolphin museum of Institute of Aquatic Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Zhang Xianfeng
Zhang Xianfeng, researcher of Institute of Aquatic Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences and curator of the Museum of Aquatic Biology.
Recently, the video of playing and jumping on the Yangtze River in Wuhan became popular on the Internet. For a time, people became more interested and curious about the finless porpoise known as the "smiling angel" and "Yangtze Giant Panda". How many finless porpoises are there now? Where do the finless porpoises live the most? Why do Wuhan people especially like finless porpoises? Is it alarmist to say that it will disappear in the next 15 years? What are the latest national policies and measures for the protection of finless porpoises? On the 26th, our reporter interviewed Zhang Xianfeng, a researcher at the Institute of Aquatic Sciences of Chinese Academy of Sciences and director of the Museum of Aquatic Biology.
Q: What does the finless porpoise look like? How many are there now? Where do the finless porpoises live the most in Hubei?
A: The Yangtze finless porpoise is a rare animal unique to the Yangtze River basin in China, which is only distributed in the mainstream of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and in Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake. They are lead-gray or taupe, generally about 1.3 meters long, and the longest can reach 1.9 meters, which looks like dolphins. The head is round, the posture is smooth, and the curved corners of the mouth are raised like a charming "smile", which is affectionately called "smiling angel".
At present, according to the classification of IUCN Red Book on Endangered Species, the Yangtze finless porpoise is an "extremely endangered" species. In 2017, the results of ecological scientific investigation of Yangtze finless porpoise showed that its wild population was about 1012. In Hubei Province, there are more than 80 in Swan Island National Nature Reserve of the Yangtze River and about 20 in Hewangmiao Provincial Nature Reserve of Jianli.
Q: What are the interesting habits of finless porpoises?
A: The Yangtze finless porpoise is similar to human beings. The gestation period is about 11-12 months, and the peak of littering is from May to September every year, with one litter per litter. They live by eating fish, like to move in groups, and can send out ultrasonic signals that people can hardly hear, including two types: high-frequency pulse signals and low-frequency continuous signals.
The finless porpoise is lively and very naughty. It often runs up and down in the water, and its body keeps rolling, jumping, nodding, spraying water and suddenly turning. When swimming upright, two-thirds of the body is exposed to the water, and the posture perpendicular to the water can last for several seconds. In the past, people could see finless porpoises along the Yangtze River ferry in Wuhan. They liked to follow the boat closely, ride the waves, spit and jump playfully. I think this is why Wuhan people like it very much.
Q: It is reported that the finless porpoise will disappear in the next 15 years.
A: There are only about a thousand Yangtze finless porpoises left, which seems to be a lot. In fact, after careful analysis, there are very few adults who can reproduce. At present, the Yangtze finless porpoise is an extremely endangered species. In 2013, it was listed as "extremely endangered" species in the IUCN Red Book of Endangered Species.
The reason why 15 years will disappear is that scientists use a mathematical model called "vortex model" to simulate and calculate. This push is strictly defined and assumed. If we don’t take any protective measures, the finless porpoise may disappear from us like the baiji in 15 years. If we take active and effective protective measures, this result will be delayed or even won’t appear.
Q: What has been done to protect the finless porpoise in recent years?
A: The Yangtze finless porpoise Protection Action Plan (2016-2025) drafted by the Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs is being actively implemented. The protection situation and protection network of the Yangtze finless porpoise have been formed. Eight nature reserves of different levels have been built in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the two great lakes. At present, the first ex-situ population of Yangtze finless porpoise in China, which is located in Tianezhou Baiji Dolphin National Nature Reserve, Hubei Province, has increased from the initial introduction of 5, and later introduced some individuals as "founders", mainly through the reproduction of these "founders", to about 80; The whole ex-situ conservation population of Yangtze finless porpoise has reached about 120, and about 10 young porpoises are born every year. The ex-situ conservation has achieved initial results. At the same time, the research on the reproduction of Yangtze finless porpoise in artificial environment has successfully propagated individuals, and accumulated rich research results and technologies, which has continuously provided important technical support for the nature protection of Yangtze finless porpoise.
Recently, the State Forestry and Grassland Bureau and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs publicly solicited opinions on the List of National Key Protected Wild Animals (Draft for Comment). Among them, the Yangtze finless porpoise is planned to be upgraded to a national first-class protected species. In fact, as early as many years ago, we managed the Yangtze finless porpoise according to the national first-class protected species standards.
Q: How do ordinary citizens participate in the protection of finless porpoises?
A: To protect the Yangtze River and its biodiversity, Wuhan citizens can start from the small things around them, visit museums and breeding houses with rare animals, and enhance their awareness of rare animals and protection through various information channels. You can also participate in some specific and easy-to-operate biological and environmental protection activities, such as joining volunteer organizations, salvaging lake garbage, disposing of wastes, and cracking down on illegal fishing. In addition, in daily life, we should save water, travel green, do not interfere with the lives of animals, do not buy or eat protected animals, and insist on garbage sorting.
Reporter Dai Hongbing Correspondent Li Fang Yu Haitao Sun Hui