Searching for Yangtze Finless Porpoises in Nanjing, China
I recently spent two nights in Nanjing, China, hoping to see the Critically Endangered Yangtze finless porpoise. I was on route back from watching my son (Kristjan) compete in a ultra trail race. We stayed at the Hilton Nanjing Riverside, which is ideally located just a five-minute walk from a porpoise viewing area (known as the Yangtze Smile Station viewing area).
On the first afternoon, having been told that the porpoises hadn’t been seen for a couple of days, we decided to go on a river cruise (from the Wumadu Wharf). The boat is multi-deck, and sticks to the main and very busy, shipping channel. Kristjan did get a fleeting glimpse of one (which resulted in me saying “are you sure?” too many times) but as the boat is traveling fast, if you don’t get onto it quickly, the chance is gone. We returned to the viewing area and had just missed a pair of cavorting (and smiling, no doubt) porpoises in the fading light. I returned the next morning to the viewing area and, at approximately 9am, was rewarded with several distant views of two porpoises surfacing in the river.
Despite being an incredibly busy shipping river, the porpoise population is slowly increasing since the 2021 fishing ban which has removed the lethal gill nets from the river (the single biggest threat to most river cetaceans). The channel alongside the viewing area is also off limits to larger boats.
The hotel makes a good base for anyone hoping to see the porpoises as its easy access to a riverside walkway that leads to the viewing area. I recommend allowing a couple of mornings and evenings to maximise your chances. Good luck getting a photo!
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