China will set up its first reserve for the highly endangered
Chinese white dolphin off the coast of Zhuhai, a city in Guangdong Province.
The city has set aside 460 square kilometers for the reserve in
Guandi bay at Qi'ao Island and will start construction before the
end of this year, said Chen Jialin, director of the administration
of the state-level Chinese White Dolphin Natural Reserve at Pear
River Estuary.
He said an emergency rescue center for the dolphins, also called
"pandas in the ocean" for their rarity, will be
built during the initial construction period.
The Chinese white dolphin is a species unique to China and high
on China's most-protected animal list. It is also one of the most
endangered species in the world.
The dolphins' population is around 2,000 in China, over 1,000 of
which are living in Pearl River Estuary, said Chen.
"Pollutants discharged into the water by paper mills, chemical
plants and plating factories along the river has been destroying
the dolphins' habitat and as a result, 19 dolphins has been died
over the past three years," said Chen.
(Xinhua News Agency April 9, 2006)