Chinese River dolphin
| Scientific Name | Lipotes vexillifer |  | |
| English Common Name | Baiji / Yangtze River dolphin / Chinese River dolphin | ||
| Taxonomy | Class: Mammalia Order: Cetacea Sub-order: Odontoceti Family: Pontoporiidae Genus: Lipotes Species: vexillifer This is the only living member of this Family of animals. | ||
| Behaviour | With few individuals studied, little behavioural information exists however it is known that they are very shy and are not known to approach boats and in fact usually actively avoid them. When they are feeding and/or travelling they can swim quite fast, surfacing frequently and capable of rapid changes of direction. They are usually found in small groups and it is not uncommon to see solitary animals or a few individuals at one time. | ||
| World Distribution | As its name suggests, this species is limited to the Yangtze River in China. It was once found in several Lakes joining the River however water levels are now too low and they are restricted to the main-stem of the River. Often found where the main tributaries join the River and in areas consisting of sand-banks and islets and a more complex riverine geomorphology. | ||
| Morphology | Very few individuals have been studied and therefore information on this Family of dolphins is extremely limited. It is known that newborns weigh between 2.5 – 4.8 kg and measure approximately 80 – 90cm; adults weigh between 100 – 160 kg and measure between 1.4 – 2.5 m. They have a rather stocky body with broad rounded flippers and a very low triangular shaped fin positioned slightly behind the centre of the back. They have rather an abrupt forehead sloping steeply to a long, narrow and slightly upturned beak. Their body colour consists of a bluish-grey back and sides with a white underside, including flippers and fluke. | ||
| Threats | Yangtze River dolphins face an onslaught of threats from accidental entanglement in fishing gear to pollution (both noise and chemical) and human-induced habitat loss and degradation, including dam construction and land reclamation. | ||
| Status | No abundance estimate is available for this species however recent surveys estimate the population size to number only tens of individuals. | ||
| Conservation Activities | CMS “not listed” IUCN – Critically Endangered | ||
