Development driving mammal's decline

In China, the finless porpoise is only found in the middle and lower stretches of the Yangtze River, its main tributaries and two adjoining lakes.

With an annual death rate of 5 to 10 percent, the mammal will be functionally extinct in 15 years unless the population can be stabilized or expanded.

In 2013, the International Union for Conservation of Nature classified the species as "critically endangered", and it was placed under the highest level of State protection in May.