Rescuers in the central Chinese city of Yichang saved a Yangtze finless porpoise that was stranded in shallow water and freed it back into the river on Thursday through 16-hour efforts.
The stranded porpoise was found in the Zhijiang River, a tributary of the Yangtze River, 26 kilometers from the estuary, while the endangered species is believed to live in deep water.
The Yangtze finless porpoise is classified as critically endangered on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List. In 2021, China classified the spices as under national Grade-I conservation.
It has been speculated that the porpoise may have swum from the Yangtze's mainstream to its tributaries as the water level rose during the flood season, but as the water level dropped, it may have encountered dangers in its migration.
"As water levels continue to decline, the porpoise may be affected by a lack of resources, including changes in water quality, in a relatively small area of water," said Mei Zhigang, associate researcher with the Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
A rescue team composed of local authorities and residents began work on Wednesday night, setting up sections of floating nets and narrowing the circles.
After the porpoise was captured and brought to shore, researchers kept the porpoise's skin moist by watering it and covering it with wet towels, and checked its health immediately.
"According to the measurement results, it is a sub-adult male porpoise, about two years old. In terms of appearance, it's a strong looking individual, with all kinds of indicators being normal, no scars, very energetic, which means it's in a very healthy condition," said Mei.
The creature was released into the mainstream Yangtze River on Thursday afternoon after passing the health check.
According to the 2022 comprehensive surveys on the species, there were 1,249 finless porpoises in the Yangtze, which marks a significant rebound from 2017 when the figure stood at only 1,012, only half the number of giant pandas.
Conservationists in central China rescues stranded porpoise through 16-hour effort
Central China's Henan Province is experiencing a surge in international tourists driven by expanded visa-free policies, with visitors attracted by the traditional intangible cultural heritage, Chinese martial arts and local delicacies.
In Zhengzhou, the provincial capital, a vibrant cultural and creative district offers hands-on experiences like traditional lacquer fan making, alongside culinary delights such as culturally themed ice creams and spicy crispy tofu.
Dengfeng City, home to the world-renowned Shaolin Temple, has drawn travel groups to the city to experience Chinese martial arts. The large-scale live-action performances integrating kungfu with natural landscapes provide visitors with profound artistic immersion.
"It was something one-time in a life, nothing else in the world," said a tourist from Bulgaria.
The relaxed visa requirements have facilitated convenience for them to come to China.
"Of course, we are happy. It's always easier without the visa and complication, because before I was here last year, we had to have a visa and we had to show our visa everywhere," said Slav Kirilov, a Bulgarian tour group leader.
With the arrival of tourism season, there has been a marked increase in tour groups from Europe, East Asia, Southeast Asia and other regions.
"As the weather gets warmer, the number of international tour groups is steadily increasing. We now receive five to six groups each day, each with around 30 people. The number of groups has doubled compared with the same period last year," said Mao Rongjun, head of a scenic area in Dengfeng.
Last December, China extended the permitted stay for eligible foreign travelers from the original 72 and 144 hours to 240 hours, or 10 days.
The travelers from 54 countries can enter through any of the 60 ports across 24 provinces, regions and municipalities and stay within the designated areas for up to 240 hours.
Henan, one of the important birthplaces of Chinese civilization, is reaping the benefits of this policy.
"From Dec 17 to March 26, about 10,000 foreigners had entered through Zhengzhou's airports since the 240-hour visa-free policy was implemented, an increase of 334 percent over the same period 12 months earlier," said Yang Kui, a border inspector.
Expanded visa-free policy fuels inbound tourism in central China's Henan Province
