Yangtze Finless Porpoise Nature Reserve

Yangtze Finless Porpoise Nature Reserve

The Yangtze Finless Porpoise Nature Reserve is a national-level nature reserve.

I. General Information

The Tongling Yangtze Finless Porpoise National Nature Reserve was formerly known as the Baiji Dolphin Conservation Center. In 1985, the former State Environmental Protection Administration decided to establish the Tongling Baiji Dolphin Conservation Center to protect the Baiji dolphin, a first-class nationally protected animal. As the ecological environment of the Yangtze River deteriorated, the number of Baiji dolphins dwindled, and other rare species in the river also faced increasing threats, making enhanced protection urgent. On December 22, 2000, the Anhui Provincial People's Government approved the establishment of the Tongling Provincial Freshwater Dolphin Nature Reserve. In February 2006, the State Council officially upgraded the Tongling Provincial Freshwater Dolphin Nature Reserve to a national-level nature reserve through the State Council Office Document [2006] No. 9.

Within China’s natural regional divisions, the Tongling Yangtze Finless Porpoise National Nature Reserve belongs to the East China hilly region, and in terms of zoogeographic regions, it falls within the Central China region of the Oriental realm. Its range extends from Laizhou in Zongyang County in the north to Jinniu Ferry in Tongling County in the south, spanning a total length of 58 kilometers with a total area of 31,518 hectares. This includes a core zone of 9,534 hectares, a buffer zone of 6,360 hectares, and an experimental zone of 15,624 hectares.

The wetlands in the reserve are inland riverine wetlands, primarily consisting of tidal flat wetlands, along with adjacent streamflow wetlands. The tidal flat wetlands are located between the river embankments and the edge lines of river islands (including developing new islands) and the low-water mark of the Yangtze River. These are seasonally flooded and cover a total area of approximately 11,000 hectares. Streamflow wetlands mainly include tributaries directly connected to the main stream of the reserve, such as the Jiuhua River, Qingtong River, Tuqiao River, and Shun’an River.

II. Flora and Fauna Resources in the Reserve

Animal Resources

The reserve is home to over 100 species of planktonic animals, accounting for 48.2% of the known planktonic animals in the province and 16.5% of the 720 species found in inland waters across the country. There are nearly 90 species of benthic animals across 14 categories, including mollusks, annelids, and arthropods. There are over 90 species of fish. In terms of classification, cyprinid fish dominate, making up 67% of the total fish species in the area. There are 12 species of amphibians, accounting for about 31.6% of Anhui Province’s amphibian species; 20 species of reptiles, about 30% of the province’s reptile species. There are over 200 species of birds, belonging to 16 orders and 50 families, including 5 species under national Class I key protection and 9 species under Class II key protection. These birds are mainly distributed along the river surface, in marshes on riverbanks, reed beds, woods, shrublands, and farmland villages.

Plant Resources

The reserve contains over 80 species of phytoplankton across 7 phyla. Among these, diatoms account for about 50%; green algae around 31%; blue-green algae 9%; dinoflagellates 5%; and euglenoids 4%. There are 2 species each of chrysophytes and red algae, each representing 1.30% of the detected species. There are over 500 species of vascular plants across more than 90 families, including over 10 species of ferns, nearly 10 species of gymnosperms, and over 500 species of angiosperms.

III. Main Protected Species

Baiji Dolphin: Also known as white-flag dolphin, white-fin dolphin, white-flag, blue-finned porpoise, white clip, and river horse, among others. It belongs to the Mammalia class, Cetacea order, and Lipotidae family. The Baiji dolphin is a rare species unique to China. Adult Baiji dolphins measure about 1.5–2.5 meters in length and weigh approximately 70–230 kilograms. Baiji dolphins have a sonar system that helps them detect various objects in their living environment, find food, locate mates, and avoid predators. Their key habitats include the deep, fast-flowing main river channels, particularly areas with whirlpools or backflows and greater depths; they also move to the shallows during floods. Another preferred habitat is near the head or tail of midstream sandbars. Baiji dolphins reach sexual maturity at around 4–6 years of age, have a gestation period of about 10–12 months, and usually give birth to a single calf. Calves rely on their mother’s milk for sustenance and are weaned within a year before starting to catch fish independently. The Baiji dolphin is now functionally extinct. The Chinese Red Data Book of Endangered Animals (1998) lists it as endangered, IUCN (1996) as Critically Endangered (CR), and CITES (1997) includes it in Appendix I.

Yangtze Finless Porpoise: A member of the Phocoenidae family and Neophocaena genus, it is the only known freshwater population of finless porpoises in the world. Smaller in size than the Baiji dolphin, it has a round head and dark gray skin. Adult Yangtze finless porpoises generally measure around 1.5 meters in length, with some reaching over 2 meters. Their weight varies significantly, ranging from about 50–100 kilograms. They have a slightly spindle-shaped body, a round and blunt head, a protruding forehead, a short and broad snout, and a wide mouth with spade-shaped teeth. Their flippers are sickle-shaped, and the tail fluke is broad and crescent-shaped, extending horizontally. They are found only in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, as well as in inland waters such as Dongting Lake and Poyang Lake, feeding on small freshwater fish and shrimp. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists them as Endangered (EN), and they are also included in Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). According to 2012 statistics, there were only 1,040 Yangtze finless porpoises, decreasing at a rate of 13.73% per year.