'Green Electricity Ark' safeguards home of finless porpoise

State Grid Zhenjiang Power Supply Company, in collaboration with the Zhenjiang Municipal Nature Reserve Finless Porpoise Protection Management Office, conducted a "Green Electricity Ark" water quality monitoring activity within the Zhenjiang Yangtze River Dolphin Provincial Nature Reserve to assess the porpoises' habitat on Oct 24, the seventh annual Yangtze Finless Porpoise Protection Day.

Within the reserve, volunteers from the "Green Electricity Ark" public service team strategically established three sampling points along the core protected area. They submerged sampling bottles to collect river water, simultaneously recording environmental data such as water temperature and color with each sample. The collected samples were placed in specialized water quality monitoring equipment for multi-dimensional analysis of indicators like pH levels and dissolved oxygen. Some samples will also be sent to professional laboratories for environmental DNA (eDNA) extraction and analysis. This allows for precise understanding of the current water quality conditions and ecological changes in the porpoise habitat. 

"A finless porpoise surfaces for only about 0.85 seconds at a time, making them easy to miss through visual observation alone. However, precise water quality data and eDNA analysis help us promptly understand changes in their habitat," explained Yi Ning, a member of the service team. All collected monitoring data will be fed into the reserve's integrated "water-land-air" smart monitoring system, providing precise guidance for habitat protection efforts.

Since 2024, State Grid Zhenjiang Company and the reserve's management office have been jointly promoting the "Green Electricity Ark" public welfare project. The project focuses on protecting the habitats of endangered species. By implementing measures such as constructing a zero-carbon microgrid within the reserve, it utilizes "green electricity" to enhance biodiversity conservation. This innovative initiative not only strengthens the survival prospects of the Yangtze finless porpoise but also provides a replicable Chinese approach for global biodiversity protection, safeguarding our shared ecological future.