My name is Lisa and I am a PhD candidate working at the Institute of Zoology (IOZ) and University College London (UCL) In London, England. My PhD is concerned with researching and attempting to quantify the causes of mortality to the Critically Endangered Yangtze finless porpoise (jiang-tun 江豚). Although I am based in London, all of my field work and boat-based surveys are based in China along the Yangtze River and in the two lake systems; Poyang Lake and Dongting Lake. For this, I have had the pleasure of visiting and working with researchers and students at the IHB and the Yangtze Cetacean Breeding and Research Center. I am working along side the research group at the IHB who are themselves conducting a wide range of research into the species. I have had the pleasure of working with Dr. Yujiang Hao and Dr. Zhigang Mei and many other students and researchers based at the IHB. Everyone has been very welcoming and helpful, and helped me to get by with my very bad Chinese! They have always been great at offering to help me with getting around, booking hotels, volunteering to help me on my surveys and more to make me feel comfortable and happy in Wuhan. I have always felt welcomed! The location of the IHB is fantastic; it is very easy to get around, there are many beautiful areas within the university grounds (the cherry blossom is beautiful in spring!) and I have had the pleasure of working at the IHB aquarium, where there is a small population of Yangtze finless porpoises.   

Outside of my work, I have loved Chinese food, the welcoming and friendly people, the beautiful temples and historical sites, the fascinating museums and wonderful countryside of China. I have visited China and the IHB three times now, and hope to visit twice more to continue and finish my research. I look forward to my trips and to seeing more of Wuhan and the rest of China!