Number of finless porpoises in China exceeds 1,200

STORY: Number of finless porpoises in China exceeds 1,200 DATELINE: Feb. 28, 2023 LENGTH: 00:01:00 LOCATION: Beijing CATEGORY: SCIENCE SHOTLIST: various of Yangtze finless porpoise scientific expedition STORYLINE: A scientific investigation conducted by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs in 2022 showed that the number of Yangtze finless porpoises has reached 1,249, up 23.42 percent from five years ago. This is according to a press conference held on Tuesday. Ma Yi, an official with the ministry, attributed the increase to the 10-year fishing ban in the key waters of the Yangtze River which was imposed in 2021 with the aim of ecological conservation. The finless porpoise, known as the "giant panda of the water," is a barometer of the ecological environment in the Yangtze River basin. Other aquatic bioresources in the key waters of the Yangtze River have also seen a recovery. In 2022, 193 varieties of fish were spotted in the area, marking an increase of 25 varieties from 2020. Xinhua News Ag