China has made significant progress in conserving the rare and endangered Yangtze finless porpoise, a freshwater cetacean endemic to the country's Yangtze River, thanks to the gradual advancement of artificial breeding technology.
The freshwater porpoise, characterized by its lack of a dorsal fin, is native to China. They only pulse through waters in the central and eastern parts of the Yangtze River.
With its mouth fixed in a permanent grin, the rotund, finless porpoise is adored in China, but this fleshy aquatic animal is now critically endangered, rarer even than the country's poster child for species conservation, the giant panda, and is under top-level state protection.
At the Baiji Dolphin Hall, under the Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), researchers typically use ultrasonic imaging technology to conduct health checks on Yangtze finless porpoises. After monitoring and analysis, the finless porpoises are in good health. Recently, two female Yangtze finless porpoises have become pregnant, with hopes of welcoming new baby finless porpoises next year.
"This indicates that the Yangtze finless porpoise can thrive in an artificial environment, as the entire natural breeding process is problem-free, including pregnancy, parturition, and the subsequent development of baby finless porpoises, all of which have been successfully completed," said Hao Yujiang, associate researcher with the Institute of Hydrobiology.
Tao Tao is the star of the Baiji Dolphin Hall. As the world's first Yangtze finless porpoise successfully bred in an artificial environment, it has been carefully attended and loved since its birth on July 5, 2005.
Over the years, Tao Tao has provided the research team with significant insights into protection, ex-situ conservation, and management of the entire species.
The institute now has 12 Yangtze finless porpoises, out of which five have been artificially bred.
"So far, we have established eight natural reserves for the Yangtze finless porpoise and three ex-situ conservation areas in the Yangtze. This can be regarded as China's solution to the conservation of rare and endangered small cetaceans," he said.
According to the 2022 comprehensive surveys on the species, there were 1,249 finless porpoises in the Yangtze, marking a significant rebound from 2017, when the figure stood at only 1,012.
The Yangtze finless porpoise is a nationally first-class protected wild animal, and its population status serves as a "barometer" of the ecological environment of the Yangtze River.
Artificial breeding increases endangered Yangtze finless porpoise population
A former television host from Taiwan, Zhai Xuan, has made a pivotal decision to leave mainstream broadcasting in order to create content that provides a better understanding of the Chinese mainland and cross-strait relations.
Zhai, a seasoned television host with over a decade of experience in Taiwan's media landscape, recently addressed an audience at an event in Beijing, where she revealed her complete transition into independent online media.
In her remarks, she articulated her aspiration to bridge what she perceives as a significant information gap between audiences on both sides of the Strait, highlighting her commitment to fostering a deeper understanding and connection through her new endeavors.
"I was really surprised by all the fake news. There were stories saying people on the mainland can't afford tea eggs or that they live in mud houses and in Taiwan, this was the main information many people received," said Zhai.
Zhai said she initially began producing online videos to challenge such perceptions while continuing her work as a television host.
In April 2025, she travelled to the mainland with her father to fulfill her late grandfather's wish to return to his hometown. The trip, which reunited family members separated since 1949, was recorded in a video series titled "Journey to Find Our Roots", drawing attention from viewers in both Taiwan and the mainland.
"Many people in Taiwan told me that after watching, they wanted to apply for a mainland travel permit immediately and go looking for their relatives. Some had long forgotten these things, but after seeing my story, they began thinking about their hometowns and family members they had never met and decided to search for their roots," Zhai shared her story at the event.
By mid-2025, Zhai said she began to feel increasing pressure amid rising political tensions and a tightening atmosphere around cross-Strait exchanges in Taiwan.
After more than 12 years in the industry, Zhai resigned from her position, believing it was the right thing to do.
"At that moment, I felt this was a major issue，not just for me, but for Chinese people on both sides of the Strait. If I backed down then, I wouldn’t be standing on the right side," said Zhai.
Since leaving television, Zhai has broadened her online programming to encompass a range of daily-life topics, including practical guidance on applying for a mainland travel permit and using commonly employed mobile applications, in addition to content that delves into historical memory and cultural connections across the Strait.
As the debate over cross-Strait relations continues in Taiwan, Zhai said she remains committed to her current path.
Former Taiwan TV host bridges cross-Strait divide via online media
