Yangtze porpoise nears extinction; protections urged

The Yangtze finless porpoise remains in extreme danger of extinction despite intensified efforts in recent years to protect the rare species, which is endemic to China's longest river, according to the most recent national survey.

The total number of the finless porpoises is estimated at 1,012 - with 445 in the main channel of the Yangtze River, and 567 in Dongting and Poyang lakes, two large freshwater lakes linked to the river, Yu Kangzhen, vice-minister of agriculture and rural affairs, said at a news conference on Tuesday.

The animals numbered just 1,045 in 2012, he said. It is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The survey was carried out by the ministry between Nov 10 and Dec 31. Researchers assessed the porpoises' population and distribution, Yu said, noting that there had been a 10 percent decline of the animals in the Yangtze, compared with a previous survey by the ministry in 2012, while the number of the porpoises in the two lakes increased.