French animal expert flies across the ocean for the "Smiling Angel"

French animal protector, Jonas Livet, accompanied by a German photography enthusiast, took a flight of over ten hours to the Nanjing section of the Yangtze River in Jiangsu and the Tongling section in Anhui, just to track down the rare species known as the "Smiling Angel" or the "Aquatic Panda" — the Yangtze finless porpoise.

(Video/Nanjing Daily)

Accompanied by Jiang Meng, the secretary-general of the Nanjing Finless Porpoise and Aquatic Life Conservation Association, Jonas visited the "Yangtze Smiling Station" exhibition hall and the Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Research Studio on October 28. Aboard a patrol boat, he searched for porpoises near Qianzhou Isle and Zhongshan Wharf. Near the main urban area of Nanjing, he observed porpoises poking their heads above the water, and mothers playing with their calves, while citizens cradled their children to watch the porpoises. He couldn't help but say "Bonjour" to the adorable creature. Speaking to reporters, he said that he was feeling very happy, also feeling very lucky. Not something that people can only see in a book or on TV, the species is something that they can really see and feel, really observe with their own eyes.

The Yangtze finless porpoise has coexisted with humans for about 20,000 years. It is listed as "Critically Endangered" in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and is a national first-class protected wild animal in China, as well as the only existing cetacean in the Yangtze River. The finless porpoise is considered an indicator species for assessing the condition of the Yangtze River ecosystem. As the Yangtze River's "ten-year fishing ban" enters its fourth year, the porpoise population is starting to recover, with the latest survey indicating that there are 1,249 finless porpoises in China, including 65 in Nanjing.

（Photo/VCG）

Jonas learned that Nanjing has established the first emergency rescue system for the Yangtze finless porpoise in the main flow of the river, which carefully monitors key water areas in case a porpoise needs to be rescued. Seeing porpoises among the skyscrapers of Nanjing's main urban area impressed Jonas: "I think it's a very unique, special setting here in Nanjing, and you're really using it well. So, congratulations for your work. It's really amazing."

Jonas Livet has visited nearly 2,000 zoos, aquariums, and conservation zones in around 72 countries during his 30 years of travels. He currently holds the Guinness World Record for most zoos visited.

In France, he founded a website Les Zoos dans le Monde, which receives 30,000 visits per month. Upon learning that Nanjing is the only large city where wild finless porpoises have stable habitats in the central urban areas along the Yangtze River, Jonas contacted the Nanjing Finless Porpoise and Aquatic Life Conservation Association and embarked on this journey to Nanjing with curiosity and aspiration. He stated, "I'm really sure that many of them (visitors to his website) will come here in Nanjing to see the porpoise after discovering the great conservation work you're doing here."

Staff from the Nanjing Finless Porpoise and Aquatic Life Conservation Association stated that the fact that foreign friends pay special visits to see the finless porpoise in Nanjing is not only a recognition of Nanjing's conservation efforts but also an acknowledgment of China's achievements in establishing ecological civilization.

Sources: Xinhua Daily, Nanjing Daily