OVERVIEW
The finless porpoise lives in China's Yangtze River, the longest river in all of Asia. They are known for the playful and mischievous behavior, with their intelligence being comparable to that of a gorilla. Finless porpoises need an abundant food supply for survival. The destruction of the Baiji dolphin food supply was central to its extinction. Overfishing is the primary enemy of the finless porpoise, but pollution and ship movement are significant factors as well.
DID YOU KNOW?
- The diet of the finless porpoise can vary from location to location, but they are primarily known to eat fish, prawn, squid, octopus, and shrimp.
- As their names suggest, finless porpoises have no dorsal fin. Females have been known to carry their young on their back as a saddle.
- The finless porpoise has been classified as critically endangered by the IUCN.
- The scientific name of the finless porpoise is Neophocaena asiaeorientalis ssp. asiaeorientalis.
