The Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of Jiangxi Province and the Institute of Hydrobiology under the Chinese Academy of Sciences carried out a Yangtze finless porpoise relocation mission and successfully transferred two female Yangtze finless porpoises to Nanbeigang area of Poyang Lake for better protection of the iconic species in China's longest river Yangtze.

Due to drought in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River in 2022, over 30 finless porpoises in Songmenshan area of the Poyang Lake can't swim back to the deep water area of the channel.

In this mission, a total of eight finless porpoises are expected to be transferred to the protection areas in central China's Hubei, and east China's Anhui and Jiangxi provinces.

The Yangtze finless porpoise, which is under top-level state protection, is an important indicator of the Yangtze River ecology.

In recent years, China has stepped up conservation efforts for the critically endangered species by conducting three comprehensive surveys in 2006, 2012 and 2017. According to the 2017 survey, there were 1,012 finless porpoises in the river.

A staff member releases a finless porpoise which is unqualified for transferring in Songmenshan area of Poyang Lake in east China's Jiangxi Province, Feb. 15, 2023. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

A finless porpoise to be transferred to Hukou County raises its head in Songmenshan area of Poyang Lake in east China's Jiangxi Province, Feb. 15, 2023. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

This aerial photo shows staff members carrying out a roundup of finless porpoises in Songmenshan area of Poyang Lake in east China's Jiangxi Province, Feb. 15, 2023. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

Researchers conduct physical examination for a finless porpoise in Songmenshan area of Poyang Lake in east China's Jiangxi Province, Feb. 15, 2023. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

A researcher comforts a finless porpoise during its physical examination in Songmenshan area of Poyang Lake in east China's Jiangxi Province, Feb. 15, 2023. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)  

Staff members carry a finless porpoise to conduct physical examination in Songmenshan area of Poyang Lake in east China's Jiangxi Province, Feb. 14, 2023. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

Staff members release a finless porpoise to its new home in Nanbeigang area of Poyang Lake in Hukou County, east China's Jiangxi Province, Feb. 15, 2023. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)

Staff members carry a finless porpoise which is to be transferred in Songmenshan area of Poyang Lake in east China's Jiangxi Province, Feb. 15, 2023. (Xinhua/Wan Xiang)