Meng!"Maritime Grand Panda" frequently reflects the waters of Hepu Dugen Reserve, the number of young dolphins increases

Recently, the staff of the Guangxi National Nature Reserve (hereinafter referred to as Hepu Dugen Reserve) staff inspected at sea, and observed a group of Chinese white dolphins, about 15 heads. It is reported that this is the second time that a large number of Chinese white dolphins have been discovered this year after the fishing period. At present, there are 111 Chinese white dolphins with obvious identification characteristics of the protected area and its surrounding waters, which is much higher than the number of individuals (55 heads) recognized from 2011 to 2014. The population is stable and growing. The proportion of young dolphins has increased, and the age structure is excellent.

Adult Chinese white dolphin and young dolphins. Photo Conferring

The proportion of young dolphins in the species and expansion of protection areas increases

On July 10th, at the ocean fishing period, the staff of the Hepu Dugen Reserve found about 15 Chinese white dolphins in the core area of ​​the protected area during the inspection of the sea. They swim in the water in groups, jumping out of the water from time to time, and it looks like being prey, very cute.

A reporter from the South China Morning Post learned that due to the steady ecological environment of the protected area in recent years, it is more likely to discover the trace of Chinese white dolphins this year. In mid -May, the staff also found two groups of Chinese white dolphins in the shallow sea that was less than one kilometer away from the shore.

my country is the most important Chinese white dolphin habitat in the world, with a population of about 4,000 to 5,000. Among them, there are 400 to 500 heads in the Beibu Gulf waters, divided into two groups: Dafengjiang-Nanliujiangkou group has about 200 to 300 heads, mainly distributed in the Dafeng River Sea, the Nanliu River Sea and the South Stream River Sea, and Guantou Ridge Sea; in Hepu Dugen Reserve, the number of groups exceeds 150 heads.

Hepu Dugen Reserve is located in Tieshan Port Sea in Beibuwan. Monitoring data shows that no matter the dry season or the wet season, more than 70%of the water areas in the protected area and nearby are rated as a suitable habitat for Chinese white dolphins.

In recent years, the Hepu Dugong Reserve and scientific research institutions have continuously carried out the whale and dolphin survey under the jurisdiction of the sea area under the jurisdiction. From 2017 to 2019 and 2020 to 2021, the Chinese white dolphin was conducted in two stages. Comparison of surveys in the two stages show that from 2017 to 2019, the number of Chinese white dolphins with obvious identification characteristics in the protected area is 106 heads, 111 heads from 2020 to 2021, far higher than from 2011 to 2014. Number (55 heads). Two monitoring surveys have exceeded 50%of the proportion of young dolphins, which is significantly improved compared to the past.

It is suitable for the Hepu Dugen Reserve, which is suitable for Chinese white dolphins. Photo Conferring

The body color change changes from the age to light powder with the age

According to reports, the Chinese white dolphin was not white at birth, but black and gray, close to the color of the sea water, which is a natural protection color. As the age increases, the body color slowly fades -young individuals are gray, and adults and elderly individuals are white or pale pink.

Why does the body color of Chinese white dolphins change? According to experts, the color changes of Chinese white dolphins have a lot to do with body temperature regulation. The development of young dolphins is not complete, the body temperature regulation system has not been perfected, and the body surface color is mostly black -gray or gray. The color will gradually fade. When playing in the sea, the blood flows to the skin in large quantities and causes congestion, and the white skin becomes pale pink.

Take a photo recognition to make the white dolphin show the dorsal fins

"The recognition of adult white dolphins is relatively high." Professor Chen Bingyao, a whale and dolphin expert in Nanjing Normal University, told reporters that from 2000 to 2016, Nanjing Normal University Whale Dolphin Research Group conducted investigations on Beibu Bay Chinese White Dolphin Studies have identified more than 200 individuals, and the total number of populations is between 393 and 506 heads.

Chen Bingyao said that for ordinary people, the appearance of Chinese white dolphins seems to be similar. In fact, through photographic recognition and comparison, each adult individual has a significant difference.

In the science popularization education base of Hepu Dugen Reserve, some photos of some Chinese white dolphins are displayed. The main parts taken are the dorsal fins of dolphins, and their shapes, colors and spots are different. Photographic recognition is to select high -quality photos (accurate focus, positive angle, strong contrast, and distance) through the wild. The scars based on the edge of the dorsal fins and the characteristics of nearby sidewalks are performed by individual identification of Chinese white dolphins. Chen Bingyao said that comparing the pictures of the Chinese white dolphin every time you shoot, you can know whether it had appeared in the sea area.

Multi -party joint efforts to protect "maritime pandas" together

China White Dolphin is known as the "maritime panda". As a rare protective animal in near -shore and coastal waters, it has irreplaceable ecological and biological value. Because they inhabited the entrance to the sea and the shallow coastal sea, they overlap with the economic development zone and shipping dense areas, and they were easily disturbed by human activities. Chinese white dolphins were accidentally injured by fishing nets and injured by ships, etc., which occurred from time to time. Marine transportation noise, coastal industrial and agricultural sewage and sand mining, reclamation land creation, marine resources mining, and exhaustion of food resources caused by excessive fishing will be severely damaged. Survival environment.

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