Tanzanian student Janeth Mabula Katemi poses for a photo in front of the Finless Porpoise Bookstore by the Yangtze River in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, on June 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Lu Huadong)
NANJING, June 30 (Xinhua) -- For 23-year-old Tanzanian student Janeth Mabula Katemi, protecting the Yangtze finless porpoise, known as the "giant panda of the water," has become an integral part of her life in China since she joined the Nanjing finless porpoise and aquatic life conservation association as a volunteer in east China's Jiangsu Province.
Janeth has a passion for nature and ecology and frequently participates in tree-planting initiatives. In 2024, she came to China to study clinical medicine at Nanjing Medical University.
By chance, she learned that the Nanjing finless porpoise and aquatic life conservation association was recruiting volunteers. The decision to join it offered her a new way to engage in environmental protection here in China.
To her delight, she encountered a finless porpoise on her very first day as a volunteer. "Last November, I saw one finless porpoise leap out of the water, and its mouth curved as if wearing a smile. It seemed to grow fond of me, and at that moment, I knew I had to protect it," said Janeth.
Since then, Janeth has spent much of her spare time along the Yangtze River, observing and watching over the porpoises. Her volunteer work ranges from monitoring porpoise numbers and cleaning riverbanks to conducting ecological science outreach. She also follows professional teams to document the movement patterns and behavioral traits of finless porpoises.
She even developed a unique skill of her own as she got more involved. "By reading environmental clues such as weather conditions and bird activity, I can roughly tell where finless porpoises are most likely to appear," said Janeth.
Affectionately known as the "smiling angel," the Yangtze finless porpoise is the ecological barometer of the Yangtze, and its population mirrors the river's health. However, due to worsening water quality, fragmented habitats, and disrupted food chains, the Yangtze finless porpoise was once pushed to the brink of extinction.
To restore the ecological health of the Yangtze River, China launched a 10-year fishing ban across key waters of the Yangtze basin in 2021, alongside broader efforts to curb pollution and rehabilitate river ecosystems. The Yangtze finless porpoise is under top-level state protection in China.
Thanks to these sustained efforts, the river's water quality improved, and its biodiversity continued to grow. Data released by the Ministry of Ecology and Environment shows that the population of Yangtze finless porpoises rebounded to 1,426 in 2025. Notably, Nanjing has become one of the few major cities in China where wild porpoises can be regularly spotted in urban river sections for nearly six months of the year.
The inspiring story of ecological revival has attracted more than 300 volunteers from over ten countries to protect these "smiling angels," according to the Nanjing finless porpoise and aquatic life conservation association.
Yong Chuntao, a young Malaysian volunteer in the same association as Janeth, not only works with volunteers to protect finless porpoises, but also uses his camera to continually document the resolve and warmth behind China's environmental protection efforts.
"I used to think that rare animals could only be seen in nature reserves, yet I never expected to spot finless porpoises right here in a major city," said Yong as he recalled one unforgettable moment when four porpoises leaped out of the water at the same time, a vivid scene of harmony between humans and nature that stays with him to this day.
During river patrols and field observations, Yong has recorded a growing number of finless porpoises. Over time, he has gained a more intuitive sense of the systematic efforts China is making to restore the Yangtze River's ecosystem. "I believe these conservation practices hold valuable lessons for global ecological protection."
"All lives, big or small, deserve to be treated with kindness." This simple but powerful belief anchored 24-year-old Thai student Siwachan Reewarabundith when he first joined volunteer work to protect finless porpoises.
As a volunteer, he has systematically studied the distribution of fish species in the Yangtze River, the living habits of finless porpoises, and relevant laws and regulations on ecological protection. He was deeply impressed by China's unwavering commitment to ecological conservation, ranging from a series of special conservation initiatives to a comprehensive ecological protection system.
Jiang Meng, secretary-general of the Nanjing finless porpoise and aquatic life conservation association, believes that the participation of international volunteers can not only reinforce the workforce for porpoise protection but also enable the world to gain a fuller, more intuitive understanding of China's resolve to protect the environment. Furthermore, it creates a platform for exchange and mutual learning, strengthening global consensus and capacity to jointly safeguard the planet.
He hopes that more Chinese youth, together with international volunteers engaged in environmental initiatives in China, will share China's conservation experience with more countries. ■
Malaysian student Yong Chuntao poses for a photo at the Finless Porpoise Bookstore by the Yangtze River in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, on June 11, 2026. (Xinhua/Zhu Xiao)
