Problems, Practices and Perspective of Yangtze Cetacean Conservation

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1 Problems, Practices and Perspective of Yangtze Cetacean Conservation Wang Ding Institute of Hydrobiology The Chinese Academy of Sciences

2 Contents Brief introduction of Yangtze cetaceans and threats faced by them Progress of Yangtze cetacean conservation Long-term outlook for research and conservation

3 Chinese river dolphin (Baiji) (Lipotes vexillifer)

4 Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides asiaeorientalis)

5 Distribution

6 Population Size Baiji Early 1980 s ~ 400 Middle 1980 s ~ 300 Early 1990 s ~ 200 Late 1990 s < 100 Now? Yangtze finless porpoise Early 1990 s ~ 2,700 Now ~ 1,800

7 Main threats faced by baiji and Yangtze finless porpoise

8 Over-fishing

9 Harmful fishing methods and gears Rolling hooks

10 Vessel traffic, noise and disturbance

11 Habit loss and degradation

12 Discharge of pollutants Six porpoises died in one week because of pollution in Dongting Lake in early Spring 2004

13 Progress of Yangtze cetacean conservation

14 Successful Rearing of Baiji Successful Rearing and Breeding of Finless Porpoise Successful Attempts of Ex-situ Protection of Finless Porpoise In-situ Protection of Yangtze Cetaceans

15 1978 Group of River Dolphin Research founded

16 Successful maintenance of the Chinese river dolphin Qi Qi in captivity

17 Since 1996 Successful maintenance of Yangtze finless Porpoises in captivity

18 The first Yangtze finless porpoise successfully born in captivity

19 Successful Rearing of Baiji Successful Rearing and Breeding of Finless Porpoise Successful Attempts of Ex-situ Protection In-situ Protection of Yangtze Cetaceans

20 1992 Shishou national baiji reserves founded

21 The Tian-E-Zhou Oxbow Cut off naturally from the main stream of the river in 1972 Length: 21 km; width: km; average bottom depth: 4.5 m Water velocity: ~0 m/s (dry season); m/s (flooding season) Fish production: ~410 t/year

22 Since 1990 Establishment of a reproductive population of the porpoise in Tian-E-Zhou Oxbow

23 China s successful programme of capture, translocation and maintenance of finless porpoises in the Shishou oxbow has demonstrated its adequacy as an ex situ environment for cetaceans. The good survival and reproduction of porpoises, despite recognized problems with water quality, fishing and reserve infrastructure, gives reason to hope that baiji can also survive and reproduce there in spite of a failed first attempt at maintaining a single baiji. -- Report of the Workshop on Conservation of the Baiji and Yangtze Finless Porpoise Ed. by G. T. Braulik et al.

1993.1 Tongling Semi-natural Baiji Reserve was approved, five animals were introduced

24 Tongling Semi-natural Baiji Reserve was approved, five animals were introduced into a small channel in 2001, and one calf was born in 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007 respectively

25 1992 XinLuo national baiji reserves founded

26 1996 Symposium of Baiji and Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Strategy held by Ministry of Agriculture, and five protection stations were established after the meeting

27 Since early 1990 s, several other provincial reserves were founded Zhenjiang Yangtze Dolphin Reserve Poyang Finless Porpoise Reserve Dongting Finless Porpoise Reserve

28 Problems of in situ conservation Establishment of these reserves could only possibly slow down the process of extinction by banning both the use of harmful and illegal fishing methods. Conditions in the Yangtze River will continue to deteriorate in the foreseeable future and the decline in the finless porpoise and baiji populations will therefore continue. The ability of the river to continue to support these species is certainly doubted in current conditions.

29 Long-term outlook for research and conservation

30 Next Steps Monitoring the baiji in some key sections continually; Improving group structures of porpoise in semi-natural reserves; Establishing more new semi-natural reserves along the river Renaming baiji reserves to Yangtze cetacean reserves; Protecting Poyang Lake strictly as a refuge of finless porpoise Legislating for protection of the Yangtze, and holding back the over-exploitation and utilization; Upgrading the porpoise to the First Grade Protected Animal from the Second Grade Developing and applying new technology in the conservation of the Yangtze cetaceans

31 A future project expanding the reserve area Linking the oxbow and the river Expanding the reserve area Plan for Connecting Two Oxbows

32 Are we cute? Then, please try to help us! Thanks! The work was supported by CAS, NSFC, MOA, OPCF, JICA, baiji.org Foundation, WBCF and MOST

Title finless porpoise in the Yangtze Riv. KIMURA, SATOKO; AKAMATSU, TOMONARI; Author(s) LIJUN; WANG, SHIYONG; WANG, KEXIONG DING; ARAI, NOBUAKI

Title finless porpoise in the Yangtze Riv. KIMURA, SATOKO; AKAMATSU, TOMONARI; Author(s) LIJUN; WANG, SHIYONG; WANG, KEXIONG DING; ARAI, NOBUAKI Title Zigzag transect survey by towed pas finless porpoise in the Yangtze Riv KIMURA, SATOKO; AKAMATSU, TOMONARI; Author(s) LIJUN; WANG, SHIYONG; WANG, KEXIONG DING; ARAI, NOBUAKI Proceedings of the 7th