A career filled with porpoise

Young woman dedicates her time to raising awareness about the need to protect Yangtze's 'smiling angels', Cheng Yuezhu reports.

The waters of the Yangtze River are home to the critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoise, known locally as the "smiling angel" thanks to its upwardly extending mouth, which gives it a seemingly cheery expression.

Currently, however, there is little for the creature to smile about. With only around 1,000 of the porpoises left, the government, researchers and volunteers are working hard to preserve the species. Tan Ge, secretary of Yueyang Porpoise Protection Association in Hunan province, is one of them.

Born in 1991, Tan grew up in Hunan's Yueyang, a city beside Dongting Lake, which is linked to the Yangtze River. However, it wasn't until she started working that she learned about this precious aquatic animal, and that a group of volunteers was working to protect them.

"At first, I started donating food and protective gear like hats and gloves. I just wanted to do everything I could to relieve a little of their stress," Tan says.