IHB Associate Prof. HAO Yujiang introduced F08 at the adoption ceremony. (Credit: IHB)

On April 25, 2025, Sinopec Hubei Petroleum Corporation officially adopted F08, a female Yangtze finless porpoise housed at the Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences. 

F08 is a five-year-old female Yangtze finless porpoise, measuring 1.39 meters in length and weighing 45 kilograms. Nicknamed a "model porpoise" by her caregivers, F08 moved to the Baiji Dolphinarium at IHB in 2022 from the Tian-e-Zhou Baiji National Nature Reserve in Shishou, Hubei Province. She now plays a key role in research efforts to improve the genetic diversity of the Yangtze finless porpoise captive population.

At the adoption ceremony, IHB and Sinopec jointly called for stronger public engagement in river conservation. The "Clean and Guardian of the Yangtze River" partnership platform was also launched, with over ten enterprises pledging to join forces for the health of the river ecosystem.

Currently, there are only around 1,249 Yangtze finless porpoises left in the wild. Their fate is closely tied to the future of the Yangtze itself. 

From now until June, the public can participate in the naming campaign for F08 through the official WeChat accounts of Sinopec, Sinopec Hubei Petroleum, and the Wuhan Baiji Conservation Foundation. Let’s join hands to protect the Yangtze and its beloved finless porpoises!

The "Clean and Guardian of the Yangtze River" partnership platform was also launched at the adoption ceremony. (Credit: IHB)