The Yangtze finless

porpoise
 The Yangtze finless
porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis) is
a species of toothed whale in the
family Phocoenidae.
 It is endemic to the Yangtze
River in China, making it the country's
only known freshwater cetacean following
the possible extinction of the baiji (Lipotes
vexillifer).
 The Yangtze finless porpoise is considered
critically endangered, and it is estimated
that only about 1,000 remain.
 The Yangtze River has a high traffic rate
of human activity causing population
declines due to illegal fishing, pollution,
vessel traffic, and dam construction.
 A finless porpoise can grow up to 2.27 m
in length and weigh up to 71.8 kg
however, most are smaller than this.
Adult females tend to be smaller than
adult males.
 As denoted by the name, these finless
porpoises have flat backs and are
completely finless. Instead of a dorsal fin,
these porpoises have a dorsal ridge or
"groove" that is covered in varying rows
of tubercles. These tubercles are round
and raised.
 Body color also varies depending on
habitat location and age. Newborn
Yangtze finless porpoises and East Asian
finless porpoises tend to be a dark gray or
black color that lightens within a few
months to a lighter gray. However,
the Indo-Pacific species has a reverse
trend, in which newborns are light in
color and get darker with age.
 After death Yangtze finless porpoises
usually become black in color. It is also
very common for there to be lighter
patches of color around the mouth and
genitals; however this coloration is more
noticeable at a young age.