Porpoises in Peril: Assessing Conservation Efforts for the Yangtze Finless Porpoise
by Zackery Good, RJD Intern
Imagine you are a Yangtze finless porpoise, swimming through the Yangtze River in China (Figure 1). As you go about your daily business of finding food, you must navigate your way through heavy boat traffic, fishing gear, and water construction projects. The water you swim in is likely polluted and filled with debris. However, there are some relatively safe areas in which you can seek refuge from these dangers. The usefulness of these safe areas is evaluated in Zhao et al.’s 2013 publication Distribution patterns of Yangtze finless porpoises in the Yangtze River: implications for reserve management.
Figure 1, a Yangtze finless porpoise. Image via WikiMedia comons