Marine Life in Danger
Yangtze River
The Yangtze is home to more than 350 species of fish and over 160 amphibian species. The Yangtze Basin is the sole habitat of the critically endangered Chinese paddlefish, the endangered finless porpoise and the now believed to be extinct Baiji, the Chinese river dolphin. The Chinese alligator, found only in the lower reaches of the Yangtze, is the most threatened crocodile species in the world. The Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis) is a cetacean native to the Yangtze River. Listed as “Critically Endangered” on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, it is found in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze’s main stem, in Dongting and Poyang Lake, two large lakes connected to the Yangtze. The most recent survey conducted by the WWF found a total population of 1,045 porpoises, with the total population declining rapidly by almost 14 percent every year. With the WWF partnered with various institutes under the Yangtze Freshwater Dolphin Conservation Network, the government has a seasonal fishing ban in place since 2003 (April to June, and in 2015 extended from March to June) to preserve fish stocks. The Yangtze Fishery Administration Office agreed in 2017 to enforce a year-round fishing ban starting in 2020, lasting at least five to 10 years.
China’s Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) upgraded the Yangtze finless porpoise to its strictest wildlife classification (National First Grade Key Protected Wild Animals) in 2014. Sand dredging affecting their habitat will also be monitored and managed within the dolphin’s nature reserves.
The MoA released the Action Plan for Saving Yangtze Finless Porpoise (2016 – 2025). The plan calls for finless porpoise surveys to be carried every two years and water quality and community related impacts to be addressed.
Ganges River
The Ganges River is home to more than 140 species of fish and 90 amphibian species. The Ganges River dolphin is listed as “Endangered” on the IUCN’s Red List. A recent study led by WWF India revealed that only 2,000 Ganges River dolphins exist in the water catchment of the Ganges and Brahmaputra River systems. The Ganges shark (Glyphis gangeticus) is “Critically Endangered”