A pod of about 30 Yangtze finless porpoises were seen swimming in the Duchang Section of Poyang Lake in east China's Jiangxi Province last Monday.

Law enforcement officers saw the aquatic mammals frolicking in the water and chasing each other around when patrolling the lake.

The Yangtze finless porpoise is the only known freshwater finless porpoise in the world. It is a critically endangered species with only around 1,000 in the wild, among which 450 live in Poyang Lake.

The reappearance of a large school is mainly due to the fishing ban measures implemented by local authorities, which has improved the environment in the lake.

In China, the Yangtze finless porpoise is under first-class state protection and is often referred to as the "giant panda in the water" due to its rarity.

(Cover image via VCG.)

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