On April 12th, the Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Hubei Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs jointly organized the "2024 Hubei Province Yangtze Finless Porpoise Emergency Rescue Training and Drill" at the Baiji Dolphin National Nature Reserve in Tian'e Island, Hubei Province. Representatives from various Yangtze finless porpoise conservation areas within the province and aquatic wildlife protection departments from cities and counties along the Yangtze River, totaling over 70 individuals, participated in the event. Vice Mayor XU Qingsong of Shishou City attended the event and delivered a speech. 

Professor WANG Kexiong from the IHB introduced the distribution and conservation status of Yangtze finless porpoises in the Yangtze segment of Hubei Province, emphasizing the significance of species conservation and proposing conservation suggestions for Yangtze finless porpoises in Hubei Province. Associate professor HAO Yujiang provided detailed information on the biology of Yangtze finless porpoises, reasons for stranding and injuries, emergency rescue operation specifications, and disposal of deceased porpoises. 

During the on-site drill in the water area of the old course of the Yangtze River, researchers from the IHB and staff from the Baiji Dolphin Reserve simulated emergency rescue scenarios with a model of an injured porpoise floating on the river surface for an extended period. The simulation covered five aspects: discovering the injured porpoise, tracking and monitoring, reporting the injury, organizing preparation, and capturing and rescuing. The participants received detailed explanations on the emergency rescue process and key points, precautions for porpoise extrication, necessary basic rescue equipment, and medical supplies and tools. This provided the participants with a preliminary understanding of emergency rescue for Yangtze finless porpoises. 

As one of the few remaining cetaceans in the Yangtze River, the Yangtze finless porpoise serves as an important indicator species for evaluating the effectiveness of fishing bans and the ecological health of the Yangtze River. In recent years, with the implementation of the Yangtze River conservation strategy and the deepening of the ten-year fishing ban, significant progress has been made in the conservation of Yangtze finless porpoises. However, due to intense human activities such as busy shipping and unregulated fishing, the habitat of Yangtze finless porpoises still faces many challenges. Moreover, frequent extreme weather events lead to a considerable number of Yangtze finless porpoises being stranded, injured, or even killed each year, indicating the ongoing severity of the conservation situation.  

This conference is of great significance for enhancing the capacity for emergency rescue of injured Yangtze finless porpoises in Hubei Province, establishing a rescue system for rare aquatic animals in the Yangtze River, and improving the awareness, knowledge, and emergency rescue skills of relevant departments and the general public regarding the protection of Yangtze finless porpoises and other aquatic animals in the Yangtze River. 

The IHB is a national research institution that has been involved in Yangtze finless porpoise research and conservation practice since its early days. Since proposing the protection framework for Yangtze finless porpoises combining in-situ protection, ex-situ protection, and artificial breeding research in 1986, it has established eight in-situ protection areas, three natural translocation protection populations, one semi-natural translocation protection population, and one artificial breeding research base along the Yangtze River, comprehensively protecting porpoise habitats and living environments.  

The success of these protection measures is inseparable from the extensive support and participation of various sectors of society. We call on all caring individuals that if you encounter injured or deceased Yangtze finless porpoises in the wild, please contact us: Injured Porpoise Rescue Contact:86-27-87800371; Deceased Porpoise Disposal Contact: 86-27-87801331. 

Training and exchanges (Credit: IHB)

Emergency ambulance drills (Credit: IHB)