Precious finless porpoises under protection in Jiangxi

(ECNS) -- A six-member team has been cruising along Gan River to discourage acts that may damage fish stocks or affect finless porpoises, while protecting the ecological environment since May 1, 2021, when commercial fishing was fully prohibited here and on Fu River of Nanchang in Jiangxi Province.

The teamfrom Nanchang, capital of Jiangxi Province, must inspect the about 100-kilometer-long waters twice to thrice a day.

“Ten hours a day on the boat is a test of physical strength and eyesight. Most people can't endure it,” said 57-year-old Guo Youfa.

The waters stretching four kilometers from Changchun village to Huilongbai is a key area. “Finless porpoises are often seen frolicking here on sunny days,” said Zhang Guiqing, a member of the team.

Another member, Guo Guohong said that finless porpoises were as common as fish when he was young. But that they had simply disappeared.

Unexpectedly, these “smiling angels” reappeared in Gan River in 2011 and settled down in the waters next to the fishing village where Guo Guohong lived. “They usually live in families with each composed of three to four members. Now there are only four families left,” said Guo.

“On July 23 last year, more than 30 finless porpoises appeared in the waters of Yangzizhou, and some of them returned to Poyang Lake before winter, but these families have remained with us,” said Guo, adding that they had organized over 20 volunteers to better protect the animals.

Guo Youhua, one of the six members, also engages in the protection of finless porpoises voluntarily.

“In my spare time, I cruise the river, clean garbage, and discourage fishing, hoping to protect Gan River and Poyang Lake so as to provide a better living environment for these animals,” said GuoYouhua.

To better protect these “smiling angels”, Jiangxi also proposed in 2022to make them a calling card of the province and enact a law to protect wild animals including finless porpoises.

Meanwhile, Nanchang also established a group and published a slew of regulations to improve the habitats of finless porpoises in order to help them reproduce.