STORY: Exploring Eco-China | Guardians of Yangtze Finless Porpoises
DATELINE: July 17, 2023
LENGTH: 00:07:08
LOCATION: YUEYANG, China
CATEGORY: ECOLOGY

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Yangtze Finless Porpoises
2. various of the Dongting Lake
3. STANDUP 1 (English): ZHOU YANG, Xinhua correspondent
4. STANDUP 2 (English): ZHOU YANG, Xinhua correspondent
5. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
6. STANDUP 3 (English): ZHOU YANG, Xinhua correspondent
7. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
8. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): HE DAMING, Founder of the Yueyang City East Dongting Ecological Protection Association
9. SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
10. SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): HE DONGSHUN, Member of the Yueyang City East Dongting Ecological Protection Association
11. SOUNDBITE 6 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
12. SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
13. SOUNDBITE 8 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
14. STANDUP 4 (English): ZHOU YANG, Xinhua correspondent
15. SOUNDBITE 9 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
16. STANDUP 5 (English): ZHOU YANG, Xinhua correspondent
17. SOUNDBITE 10 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
18. various of the Lingelao patrol and monitoring station
19. SOUNDBITE 11 (Chinese): DENG TIENIU, Volunteer at Lingelao patrol and monitoring station at East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve
19. SOUNDBITE 12 (Chinese): DENG TIENIU, Volunteer at Lingelao patrol and monitoring station at East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve
20. SOUNDBITE 13 (Chinese): DENG TIENIU, Volunteer at Lingelao patrol and monitoring station at East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve
21. SOUNDBITE 14 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
22. SOUNDBITE 15 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
23. various of the Chenglingji Hydrological Station
24. SOUNDBITE 16 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
25. STANDUP 6 (English): ZHOU YANG, Xinhua correspondent
26. SOUNDBITE 17 (Chinese): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
27. SOUNDBITE 18 (Chinese): CHEN JIANXIANG, Hydrological expert
28. SOUNDBITE 19 (Chinese): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
29. SOUNDBITE 20 (Chinese): CHEN JIANXIANG, Hydrological expert
30. SOUNDBITE 21 (Chinese): CHEN JIANXIANG, Hydrological expert
31. SOUNDBITE 22 (Chinese): CHEN JIANXIANG, Hydrological expert
32. SOUNDBITE 23 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
33. SOUNDBITE 24 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
34. SOUNDBITE 25 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK

STORYLINE:

This is China's longest river, the Yangtze. It's home to a small dolphin-like animal, which has lived here for 25 million years, the Yangtze finless porpoise.

Known as the "giant panda of the water," the species is in critical danger. And protection is in full swing.

STANDUP 1 (English): ZHOU YANG, Xinhua correspondent
"This is the Dongting Lake in China's Hunan Province, a major habitat of the rare species. Today I'm joined by a British friend, James Edginton, to discover what efforts have been made here to protect the mammals."

James is a public-spirited university teacher who has lived in China for 15 years.

STANDUP 2 (English): ZHOU YANG, Xinhua correspondent
"What do you know about the finless porpoise?"

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
"Well, they are critically endangered, and they are called the 'smiling angels.' So I'm looking forward to meeting them, hopefully."

STANDUP 3 (English): ZHOU YANG, Xinhua correspondent
"Today I'm going to introduce to you several 'guardians' of the finless porpoise. First of all, let's meet someone who used to be a fisherman."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
"Wonderful. Come on!"

He Daming's family had been fishing here for a living for generations, until one day when he had an encounter with the finless porpoise.

SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): HE DAMING, Founder of the Yueyang City East Dongting Ecological Protection Association
"Once I saw a pair of mother and baby finless porpoises tangled in a fishing net. After I managed to untangle the net, instead of leaving, the mother porpoise circled around me with her baby, as if they were expressing gratitude."

Then, He gave up fishing, and set up a team of volunteers to protect the finless porpoises. His son, He Dongshun, also joined the volunteer team after graduating from university.

In early 2021, a 10-year fishing ban took effect in pivotal waters of the Yangtze River, which further reassured He's family.

SOUNDBITE 4 (Chinese): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
"What do you think of the 10-year fishing ban?"

SOUNDBITE 5 (Chinese): HE DONGSHUN, Member of the Yueyang City East Dongting Ecological Protection Association
"The 10-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River has played a positive role in the protection of the river's ecological environment. Now the ecology of Dongting Lake has been improved. The population of finless porpoises has increased, and the biodiversity of Dongting Lake is gradually being restored."

SOUNDBITE 6 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
"I'm so lucky."

SOUNDBITE 7 (Chinese): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
"Today I saw a finless porpoise."

SOUNDBITE 8 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
"I didn't expect to see one so soon. It's a sign of the vitality of Dongting and the regeneration of the environment. It's very inspirational, it's very heartwarming, it's very good to see real people doing really good things. It's amazing."

STANDUP 4 (English): ZHOU YANG, Xinhua correspondent
"Apart from the fishing ban, the environment on the shoreline of the rivers and lakes is also vital for the finless porpoise."

SOUNDBITE 9 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
"Absolutely, we have to protect the shoreline and the overall ecology."

STANDUP 5 (English): ZHOU YANG, Xinhua correspondent
"Yeah, you are right. Now we've come to the Hualong Wharf in Yueyang, which is also known as the 'Finless Porpoise Bay.'"

SOUNDBITE 10 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
"Oh, wonderful."

Hualong Wharf, located along the Yangtze, used to be heavily polluted. In 2017, Yueyang launched a campaign to clear up the shoreline of the Yangtze, banning 39 illegal sand and gravel unloading wharves along the river, including the Hualong.

SOUNDBITE 11 (Chinese): DENG TIENIU, Volunteer at Lingelao patrol and monitoring station at East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve
"After the restoration efforts, the water quality has improved, and the riverbanks have turned green. As there's a riverbend here along the Yangtze, and because finless porpoises are often spotted here, we call this area 'Finless Porpoise Bay.'"

SOUNDBITE 12 (Chinese): DENG TIENIU, Volunteer at Lingelao patrol and monitoring station at East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve
"Our job mainly involves patrolling and monitoring, as well as cleaning up domestic waste along the shorelines."

In April 2018, President Xi Jinping came to this patrol and monitoring station during an inspection tour.

SOUNDBITE 13 (Chinese): DENG TIENIU, Volunteer at Lingelao patrol and monitoring station at East Dongting Lake National Nature Reserve
"During President Xi's visit, he told us to 'safeguard a river of clear waters.' Although this is just an ordinary job, I'd like to stick to my post, and do my part for improving the ecology of my hometown, and creating a more beautiful environment here."

The "Finless Porpoise Bay" is now a scenic attraction.

SOUNDBITE 14 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
"It's amazing, isn't it?"

SOUNDBITE 15 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
"People will benefit and they can't just get richer maybe by money, but they are richer by the environment, the nature that surrounds them. That's a wealth. It's the richness of our inheritance and our progeny."

SOUNDBITE 16 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
"How exactly do people improve the water quality of the Yangtze River?"

STANDUP 6 (English): ZHOU YANG, Xinhua correspondent
"Well, we are now heading toward a hydrological station. Maybe we'll find out the answer there."

The Chenglingji Hydrological Station is situated close to the site where the Dongting Lake meets the Yangtze. Here, water quality is closely monitored. Here, we met Chen Jianxiang, a hydrological expert.

SOUNDBITE 17 (Chinese): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
"I would like to know how the wastewater is handled here."

SOUNDBITE 18 (Chinese): CHEN JIANXIANG, Hydrological expert
"The water pollution is reduced mainly by shutting down a large number of small-scale chemical plants and paper mills. Second, locals are encouraged to use phosphate-free detergents. And third, work has been done to separate rainwater from wastewater so as to reduce the overall volume of wastewater."

SOUNDBITE 19 (Chinese): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
"What achievements have been made?"

SOUNDBITE 20 (Chinese): CHEN JIANXIANG, Hydrological expert
"The water has become clearer, greenery has been increased, and biodiversity has been restored. Now, we can often see schools of fish on the surface of the water."

SOUNDBITE 21 (Chinese): CHEN JIANXIANG, Hydrological expert
"This also means that the finless porpoises can have more food resources."

In 2018, during President Xi's inspection tour in Hunan, he also came to this hydrological station.

Chen told Xi about the monitoring and management of water resources in the Dongting Lake.

SOUNDBITE 22 (Chinese): CHEN JIANXIANG, Hydrological expert
"President Xi advocates that the development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt should be promoted with well-coordinated environmental conservation efforts and excessive development should be avoided. I believe this has promoted the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature. Now the number of birds has increased, and the population of finless porpoises has also increased. The notable achievements in protecting the Yangtze River manifest President Xi's thought on ecological civilization."

SOUNDBITE 23 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
"I'm so impressed. I'm so happy to hear all the measures that have been taken."

SOUNDBITE 24 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
"The fishing ban, looking after the cleanliness of the water, getting rid of the pollution (on the shoreline) and so on, and I think that's all wonderful. All of these things come together, little things make a big thing."

SOUNDBITE 25 (English): JAMES EDGINTON, English teacher, UK
"(With) all these sorts of things, it's a much better environment for the finless porpoises.
I think we should all be very proud of what's been done and achieved here."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Yueyang, China.
(XHTV)