A rare Chinese White dolphin dives with a fishing vessel in the background. China will set up its first reserve for the endangered white dolphin, known as "the panda of the ocean" because of its slim survival chance, state media has reported. [AFP]

The city has allocated 460 sq km (178 square miles) for the reserve, to be located near Qiao Island in the Pearl River estuary, Xinhua quoted Chen Jialin, director of the reserve, as saying.

Construction on the reserve will begin this year and will focus first on establishing an emergency rescue center for the dolphins, Chen said.

Xinhua quoted him as saying the dolphins, unique to China, number only 2,000, more than half of which live in the Pearl River estuary.

Chen said pollution from paper mills, chemical plants and plating factories along the river had been destroying the dolphins' habitat, leading to the deaths of nearly 20 dolphins in the past three years.