This photo taken by Fu Man, a member of the Nanjing Finless Porpoise Aquatic Life Protection Association, shows a Yangtze finless porpoise cub swimming with its mother. (Photo provided to Xinhua Daily)

A team from the Nanjing Finless Porpoise Aquatic Life Protection Association recently spotted a pod of at least 20 Yangtze finless porpoises near Xinjizhou in the Yangtze River, including approximately four calves.

This marks the largest sighting of this national first-class protected species this year, according to Jiang Meng, Secretary-General of the association.

“Calves typically swim with their mothers for about six months after birth. Additionally, the species is territorial and tends to reside within a specific area,” said Jiang.

The Nanjing stretch of the Yangtze River is home to about two to three porpoise families with no more than 70 individuals. Recent surveys indicate that the population of Yangtze finless porpoises in China has increased by about 23% over the last five years, reaching over 1,200 individuals. However, they are still less common than the giant panda.

“The frequent sightings of juvenile porpoises in the Nanjing section suggest an improved aquatic environment and reflect the success of the significant conservation efforts in the river,” said Liu Kai, a researcher at the Freshwater Fisheries Research Center of Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences (CAFS).

Nanjing stands out as one of the few cities in which Yangtze finless porpoises maintain stable habitats near the urban center. As temperatures rise in April, there is a higher chance of spotting the species at the city’s 12 observation points, either between 7 to 8 am or 4 to 5 pm.