Yangtze Finless Porpoise
Critically endangered and found only in China’s Yangtze River system, these porpoises face numerous threats. They emit high-frequency clicks between 100-150 kHz adapted for extremely turbid freshwater. Yangtze finless porpoises navigate waters with visibility often less than 10 centimeters. They locate fish despite massive sediment loads in their heavily altered habitat. They represent one of the world’s rarest mammals. Their survival depends entirely on their acoustic abilities as river development continues to degrade water quality.