Dongting Lake Field Study – Day 3

On the last day of the three-day study tour, we set off at 7:20 in the morning. After nearly two hours on the road, covering 90 kilometers, we arrived at the final stop of our journey: the Yangtze finless porpoise waterway protection station.

After a brief rest, we began the river patrol. The whole class stood on the boat watching for any sign of finless porpoise activity. We not only saw porpoises leaping out of the water, but also saw rare birds soaring across the sky. It was, as the saying goes, a rich harvest.

Standing at the bow, feeling the river wind blow across us, the water surging beneath our feet and waves constantly lapping against the hull, breathing in clean, unpolluted air, we came to realize from the bottom of our hearts how important environmental protection is. We also resolved to lead by example and consciously protect the ecological environment.

After the patrol, we were fortunate to meet the station director. As someone who has been on the front line of protecting the Yangtze's environment for many years, the director has very distinctive insights and profound knowledge about protecting the finless porpoise. So we asked several questions we had prepared for a long time, such as whether protecting the finless porpoise conflicts with economic development, and whether the finless porpoise can hybridize with related species, among others. The director answered our questions with great enthusiasm. His answers were unique and opened up new ways of thinking for us, and we benefited greatly.

Before leaving, to commemorate this patrol activity, we took the initiative to ask the director for a group photo. He readily agreed, and took a remarkably meaningful photo with all of us students and our accompanying teachers.

After leaving, we had lunch at a nearby restaurant, which marked the official end of the last activity. We then began the journey back to Changsha East high-speed railway station. After four hours by bus and two hours by train, we arrived safely back in Nanchang at 7:00, concluding the final day of our trip.

Looking back on the three days, we were honored to see the finless porpoise, a creature we had never really known before. We got to know the study tour leader, Dao Ge, Director Li of the Elk Nature Reserve, Da Ming Ge, a civil conservationist of Dongting Lake, and Director Deng of the Hua Rong Chengjiang Ancient Yangtze Channel in Hunan. Thanks to them, we learned about the finless porpoise, the elk, and migratory birds from many angles. Over these three days of study, we came to understand how important it is to protect the finless porpoise. The seed of protecting the finless porpoise has taken root in our hearts, and improving the porpoise's living environment requires everyone to take action.

Though the three-day study tour on the finless porpoise was short, these memories will last forever!