The difference between East Asian finless porpoise and Yangtze finless porpoise

The East Asian finless porpoise and the Yangtze finless porpoise actually refer to the same animal, also known as the white-finned dolphin (Scientific Name: Lipotes vexillifer). It is the only species in the porpoise family and is currently considered one of the most endangered marine mammals in the world.

However, there are some differences in geographical distribution between the East Asian finless porpoise and the Yangtze finless porpoise:

East Asian finless porpoise: East Asian finless porpoise is the general name for white-finned dolphins, usually referring to the distribution of this species in East Asia, China. This term is often used to describe the populations of baiji dolphins in areas such as the East China Sea, Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea.

Yangtze finless porpoise: Yangtze finless porpoise refers to a specific geographical population of white-sided dolphins in the Yangtze River Basin in China. It is the only freshwater dolphin in the Yangtze River and a subspecies of the white-tip dolphin. The Yangtze finless porpoise was once widely distributed in the main trunk of the Yangtze River and its tributaries, including Dongting Lake, Poyang Lake, Chaohu and other lakes.

Although the East Asian finless porpoise and the Yangtze finless porpoise refer to the same species, they are both currently facing serious endangered status due to threats from declining populations, habitat loss and human activities. Because the situation of the Yangtze finless porpoise is more severe, research and protection work on the white-skied dolphin usually focuses on scientific research and protection measures for the Yangtze finless porpoise.

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