The Fifth Yangtze Finless Porpoise Care Month officially commenced on May 28, 2025. (Credit: IHB)

The Fifth Yangtze Finless Porpoise Care Month officially commenced on May 28, 2025. The event focuses on three key areas: technology-enabled conservation, international knowledge sharing, and public participation, offering innovative solutions for global endangered cetacean protection. 

The opening ceremony brought together nearly 200 participants, with the Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs serving as co-organizers, while Wuhan Baiji Conservation Foundation acted as the primary host. 

In his keynote speech, Prof. GUI Jianfang (CAS member) highlighted that 2025 marks the mid-point of the Yangtze River's 10-year fishing ban, which has already shown remarkable results in fish stock recovery and the rebound of wild finless porpoise populations. "These achievements demonstrate the profound significance of the fishing moratorium and the crucial role of technological innovation in fisheries management," Gui stated. Through the "Porpoise Conservation Global Initiative," IHB's comprehensive protection system - integrating scientific research, national policies, and public education - is being introduced to Southeast Asian countries.

LI Shuibin, deputy director general of Hubei Provincial Agriculture and Rural Affairs Department, emphasized that the fishing ban has been instrumental in porpoise conservation. Hubei province has conducted successful wild release experiments through multi-agency collaboration and is actively promoting its conservation technologies to Asia and South America. A video showing porpoises leaping in Wuhan's urban river sections received enthusiastic applause, evidencing the species' ecological comeback. 

LIANG Qiong, deputy director of IHB, elaborated on China’s "integrated conservation action plan" that combines in-situ conservation, ex-situ conservation, and captive breeding research. "This closed-loop system provides an additional safety net for the species," she noted, adding that this year's event will pool resources to share China's experience in small cetacean protection globally.

Technological innovation formed a central theme of the launch event. The Wuhan Baiji Conservation Foundation and Lenovo jointly unveiled "Porpoise Quest 2.0," an initiative employing AI and underwater acoustic monitoring to establish a dynamic database for Yangtze finless porpoises. The program will also provide habitat restoration expertise and joint monitoring support for Belt and Road countries.

The cultural dimension of conservation received equal emphasis, with Wuhan declaring plans to formally adopt the finless porpoise as an official city symbol. This innovative approach integrates ecological protection into urban identity and cultural infrastructure development. 

Dr. QIU Jiansong from IHB presented groundbreaking findings on how shipping activities affect porpoises' circadian rhythms, based on thousands of hours of acoustic monitoring.

Recognized as one of Hubei's "Top 10 Science Communication Activities," the Yangtze Finless Porpoise Care Month has become a flagship event in Yangtze conservation. This year's campaign will tour six "Porpoise-Friendly Cities" including Honghu, Shishou, Tongling, Nanjing, and Zhuhai, featuring scientific surveys, live-streamed observations, school outreach programs, and international dialogues to foster broader public engagement.