The population of the endangered Yangtze finless porpoise has climbed to 1,426 – an increase of 177 individuals from the 2022 survey, China's top agricultural authority announced on January 30. Often described as a "barometer" of the Yangtze River’s ecological health, the species is the world's only freshwater finless porpoise. It has lived in the river's middle and lower reaches for 25 million years. The rebound follows China's 10-year fishing ban, launched in 2021. It highlights how long-term