On June 27th last year, the mother of the finless porpoise "Fujiu" in Wuhan Baijiu Dolphin Museum gave birth to a baby dolphin "F9C22" (nicknamed "Xiaojiujiu"). "Xiaojiujiu" is the first female finless porpoise born in artificial breeding environment. It brings new hope for artificial breeding of Yangtze finless porpoise. The second-generation finless porpoise "Little for a long time", one year old today, happy birthday to the little princess!
"Xiao Jiu Jiu" is in Baiji Dolphin Museum, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. Photo by Sun Xiaodong
"Xiao Jiu Jiu" was born as "online celebrity"
On June 27th, 2022, the Yangtze finless porpoise "F9C22" was born in Baiji Dolphin Museum, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and was widely concerned and loved by the public, and was nicknamed "Xiao Jiu Jiu".
"Xiaojiujiu" is code-named "F9C22". My father is the finless porpoise "Taotao" and my mother is the finless porpoise "Fujiu". Last year, hundreds of millions of netizens collectively watched its birth through live webcast.
In the summer of 2021, researchers from the Baiji Dolphin Museum of the Institute of Aquatic Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences discovered the arrival of the finless porpoise "Fujiu" when doing routine B-ultrasound examination. The gestation period of finless porpoise is about 12 months, and it is estimated that the birth time of finless porpoise baby is in the middle and late June 2022. Since Fujiu became pregnant, her food intake has increased steadily. In order to meet the nutritional needs of her mother, the trainer increased the proportion of fresh bait fish for her and supplemented nutrients such as vitamins and mineral elements.
At 16: 00 on June 27, 2022, the trainer found that the mother "Fujiu" had obvious behaviors such as loss of appetite, shortened breathing interval, floating and so on, and colored liquid overflowed in the reproductive fissure area. These are typical behaviors and physiological characteristics of finless porpoises before delivery. At about 21: 35 that night, my mother gave birth smoothly, and "Little Long Time" was born.
This is also the first time in the world that the whole process of Yangtze finless porpoise delivery has been announced, and more than 200 million netizens have accompanied the "baby finless porpoise" online. "Little Jiujiu" became a little "online celebrity" at birth.
"Xiaojiujiu" swims with his mother "Fujiu". Photo courtesy of Wuhan baiji dolphin protection fund
A family of four opens a happy "dolphin life"
At present, there are 11 Yangtze finless porpoises in Baiji Dolphin Museum of Institute of Aquatic Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, among which 4 are Yangtze finless porpoises born in artificial breeding environment, namely "Taotao", "E Wave", "Hanbao" and "Xiaojiujiu".
The finless porpoise’s father "Taotao" was born on July 5, 2005 in the Baiji Dolphin Museum of Institute of Aquatic Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences. It is the first finless porpoise in the world that successfully propagated naturally under artificial breeding environment. The mother of the finless porpoise "Fujiu" moved from Poyang Lake to Baiji Dolphin Museum in 2011, which was in its prime.
Xiao Jiujiu’s two half-brothers "E Bo" and "Han Bao" eat too well, are plump and move quickly, and are affectionately called "torpedo brothers" by everyone. Now both brothers have grown into dolphins, and they are able to be independent and have the ability to form their own small families!
"Xiao Jiu Jiu" plays in the pool. Photo by Sun Xiaodong
According to reports, after the birth of Xiao Jiujiu, the mother of the finless porpoise "Fujiu" has been actively following the care, guiding it to dive deeply and accompany it. At about 4: 30 on the second day after birth, "Xiao Jiu Jiu" finally got the first bite of breast milk.
At birth, "Xiao Jiu Jiu" weighed 6.5 kilograms and was 70 centimeters long. Now she has gained five times as much weight and has become a chubby girl of 35 kilograms and 1.1 meters long.
Wang Chaoqun, director of training of Baiji Dolphin Museum, said that the mother and daughter dolphins have been very close for a year. "Xiao Jiu Jiu" can eat and play, is smart and learns things quickly. He is not only a small expert in catching live fish, but also cooperates with trainers to eat chilled bait fish with various nutrients, and the daily intake can reach two kilograms steadily.
"Xiao Jiu Jiu" happily eat small fish. Photo courtesy of Wuhan baiji dolphin protection fund
Dolphins thrive and the future can be expected.
Researcher Wang Kexiong, head of the cetacean discipline group of the Institute of Aquatic Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that on October 24th last year, seven caring enterprises in Wuhan donated 20,000 Jin of fresh live fish to the "Xiaojiujiu" family. Trainers have also started a mixed feeding program. It was not until February 25th this year that "Xiaojiujiu" caught and ate a small live fish for the first time. Excited the trainers.
Now Xiao Jiujiu has learned a lot of swimming strokes with his mother in the water. He is a good baby who can eat and play.
According to Wang Kexiong, male porpoises usually follow their mothers for about 2 years, while female porpoises will follow their mothers for about 4 years, learning various skills, especially skills such as breastfeeding and raising children. The sexual maturity age of female finless porpoise is about 6 years old. After 6 years old, "Xiaojiujiu", as the second generation of natural reproduction in artificial environment, is expected to provide opportunities for the third generation of individual breeding of finless porpoises, which has important scientific research value and index significance for the artificial breeding of Yangtze finless porpoises.
"Little for a long time" eat small fish. Photo courtesy of Wuhan baiji dolphin protection fund
According to reports, on February 28 this year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs announced the results of the investigation: the population of the Yangtze finless porpoise was 1,249.
Researcher Wang Ding, chairman of the Baiji Dolphin Protection Foundation, said, "Monitoring over the past 40 years shows that the number of Yangtze finless porpoises has been declining, and this result is a historic turning point. For the first time, the population of the Yangtze finless porpoise showed a rebound trend. " This is due to the implementation of policies such as the great protection of the Yangtze River and the ten-year ban on fishing, as well as the concern of the whole society for the ecological environment, biodiversity and protection of rare and endangered species in the Yangtze River.
On April 25th this year, four Yangtze finless porpoises (3 males and 1 female) were released into the Yangtze River in Xinluo section of Honghu Lake and Swan Island in Shishou, Hubei Province, which was the first attempt to release ex-situ populations into the Yangtze River in China.
"We have been in this step for more than 30 years." Wang Ding said, "This is a new milestone in the Yangtze finless porpoise protection, and it will also complete the last key technical closed loop of the Yangtze finless porpoise protection technology system."
On May 22nd, 2022, with the support of Wuhan Municipal Government, Wuhan Agriculture and Rural Bureau established "Wuhan Yangtze finless porpoise breeding and conservation technology research center" and "Wuhan cetacean conservation science and education base" in Baiju Dolphin Museum. The Institute of Aquatic Sciences of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Baiji Dolphin Protection Foundation will continue to do a good job in scientific research innovation and social support for finless porpoise protection, promote the high-quality development of finless porpoise protection, realize the harmonious symbiosis between people and the Yangtze River, and make the "smiling angels" endless.