Chinese White Dolphin Reappears in Bai Sha Long River of Dongting Lake After 30 Years

On February 11th, Chinese white dolphin surfaced in the Bai Sha Long River area of Yujiang City, Dongting Lake. Photo/Li Jianzhi

Old residents of Dongting Lake recalled that when they were young, adults would tell children not to approach the water's edge, saying there was a monster in the water called 'Jiang Zhu Zi' (River Piglet) that would snatch children away.

Children were scared, and 'Jiang Zhu Zi snatching people' became a chasing game. Later, they realized the 'Jiang Zhu Zi' monster was actually a Chinese white dolphin. Because it resembled a smiling mouth, it was also called 'the Smiling Angel in the Yangtze'.

Decades ago, residents living by Dongting Lake may have found it difficult to see Chinese white dolphins in groups, but now it's a matter of decades before they meet again.

On the morning of February 11th, volunteers from Yujiang City's environmental protection bureau discovered Chinese white dolphins surfacing in the Bai Sha Long River area of Yujiang City, Dongting Lake, which is the first time Chinese white dolphins have appeared in this area in the past 30 years.

'It's there, it's there, the Chinese white dolphin is over there!'

A villager living by Dongting Lake first discovered the Chinese white dolphin in the Bai Sha Long River.

'There are about five of them! Chinese white dolphins have reappeared in the Bai Sha Long River after 30 years!' Yujiang City Environmental Protection Volunteer Association Chairman Li Jianzhi quickly returned to his car to take photos.

'I just wanted to record, but the Chinese white dolphin disappeared.' Li Jianzhi's heart tightened.

'Fortunately, it only waited for an hour, it's not too long, after so long, this old friend has now been preserved in my camera.' Li Jianzhi said, seeing them again was still so cute.

They spent a whole three days to reach the south Dongting Lake.

Previously, it was difficult to see Chinese white dolphins in the south Dongting Lake, because whenever they appeared, they had to overcome many obstacles.

Li Jianzhi recalled that Chinese white dolphins mainly had three routes to the upper reaches: the northern route followed the Lus Lake along the Cao Wei River, the middle route followed the Xia Tu Bao River along the Xia Shi Lake, and the southern route followed the Heng Ling Lake through the Wan Zi Lake to the Bai Sha Long River.

'It took them a whole three days to arrive in the south Dongting Lake.'

He said that the lake is long, and it takes Chinese white dolphins a long time to travel. And along the way, they constantly face various risks and challenges.

One of them was the 'Maze'. The Maze consisted of a large number of (nanzhu – bamboo) and (nylon nets), which was created by fishermen to illegally obtain profits by dividing Dongting Lake's wetlands. Every spring, when the water level rose, the wetlands would be flooded, at which time the fish would enter the nets. Then, fishermen would take out the nets every day to catch fish.

'The paper mill caused environmental pollution, electric fishing, the maze, digging sand, and sand boats, all created obstacles for the Chinese white dolphin's survival. The water quality of Dongting Lake was polluted, and I could hear fewer and fewer sounds of Chinese white dolphin.

Li Jianzhi said that the Chinese white dolphin's cute smile reappeared in the south Dongting Lake, which is the result of many years of governance of the south Dongting Lake, and the water quality has recovered, which has restored the Chinese white dolphin's survival space, also indicating that people's concern for Chinese white dolphin has been inherited.

Previously, Chinese white dolphins followed boats in groups.

For the older generation of Dongting Lake residents, Chinese white dolphin is the whole childhood memory, the protection of Chinese white dolphin is the way for the younger generation to protect it, although the emotions are different, but the protection power is equally solid.

'Mom, Mom, look, there are two Chinese white dolphins there!' In 2010, 50-year-old Su Miti and her daughter joined the Yueyang Chinese white dolphin protection association five years ago.

During the five years of volunteer time, her daughter saw her mother's childhood often mentioned 'Jiang Zhu Zi' in it, and she was very happy when she finally saw the Chinese white dolphin, shouting to her mother to come out and see together.

Su Miti still remembers the Chinese white dolphin that accompanied her growing up, although she hadn't had close contact with it, but this love has been rooted in her heart, and she felt sad when it left,

Su Miti has been keeping a diary since she joined the protection association, and from the beginning, she has kept a diary. It includes the activities she and the volunteers participated in, the rescue of the Chinese white dolphin, and sometimes, she would also record her daughter's feelings after participating in the activity.

What made Su Miti most frustrated was that a Chinese white dolphin was killed by someone deliberately,

'On November 7, 2019, I heard that another Chinese white dolphin died, I went to the bridge to see it. This Chinese white dolphin was a male, it had been partially decomposed, weighing 40.5 kg and 1.37 meters long. Its skin had light-degree scratches, and its fin was tied with nylon rope and a red brick. I couldn't help but feel sad',

Su Miti said, 'I've grown up with the Chinese white dolphin, although I haven't had close contact with it, but this love has been rooted in my heart, and I feel sad when it leaves'.

During the volunteer period, Su Miti and her daughter's love for the Chinese white dolphin became more and more profound, and Su Miti said that they wanted to keep the Chinese white dolphin and see more Chinese white dolphins' 'smiles'

For many years, the protection has finally been achieved.

It is the wish of the Yuelu City Chinese white dolphin protection association chairman Xu Ya Ping and citizen volunteers Xu Ya Bo to see more Chinese white dolphin's 'smiles'

'Since 2011, we began to protect the Chinese white dolphin.' Xu Ya Ping said that in the 1990s, many citizens would see Chinese white dolphins when they went to the Dongting Lake north gate ferry, and they would see Chinese white dolphins following the boats and chasing the waves behind the boats. However, now it has become a memory.

Protecting the wetland ecological environment is also protecting our memories.

In 2012 before, Dongting Lake was full of mazes, low fences, rolling hooks, and even marine nets. Because law enforcement departments cracked down on illegal fishing, some fishermen were always in action at night or early morning, so protecting Chinese white dolphin was day and night, especially at night, it was even more careful.

Xu Ya Bo is a citizen volunteer of the Yueyang Chinese white dolphin protection association. A bucket of water, a raincoat, a few dried foods, a backpack, and a flashlight, accompanied Xu Ya Bo to protect the Chinese white dolphin for nine years.

At night, he often guarded in the center of Dongting Lake. When he saw fishing boats, they would cast nets and catch fish, and he and other staff would immediately take action to stop them.

He recalled that one winter, he and other staff guarded Dongting Lake for a long time. When they saw two fishing boats conducting illegal fishing, they came to explain the situation to them and then took pictures and left evidence. But they didn't have enforcement power. They persuaded them verbally and then reported them, waiting for relevant staff to investigate.

After the association's patrol team's long-term guarding, day and night patrolling, and reporting to the fisheries bureau in each county around the lake, and strengthening coordination and collaboration, now electric fishing has been greatly curbed.

He said that now the ecological environment of Dongting Lake has been greatly improved.