The Institute of Hydrobiology (IHB) under the Chinese Academy of Sciences has announced that a Yangtze finless porpoise, just the second to be born in captivity, celebrated its 100-day birthday on September 10.

The male porpoise was bred via the IHB's artificial breeding programme. Born on June 2, 2018, it is healthy and has a very high probability of survival, according to the institute.

A ceremony was held on Monday to mark the porpoise making it to 100 days at the IHB's premises in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei Province.

The Yangtze finless porpoise is closely related to the dolphin and its natural habitat is the Yangtze River, as well as two lakes fed by the busy waterway.

This species is known for its mischievous smile and has a level of intelligence comparable to that of a gorilla. However, it is critically endangered. Its population in the wild was about 1,012 in 2017, according to a survey organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs.

The IHB has reportedly been trying to protect the porpoise for about 40 years. Its artificial breeding programme began in 1996 and led to the birth of the world's first captive-bred finless porpoise in 2005. (China Radio International)