NANCHANG - Nearly 500 Yangtze finless porpoises have been detected in Poyang Lake in East China's Jiangxi province, according to the results of a recent survey released by the provincial forestry department.

The endangered species, known as the "giant panda of the water," is a barometer of the ecological environment in the Yangtze River basin.

The survey was conducted in the areas of Poyang Lake where finless porpoises are active, the western waters of the Yangtze River, and Gan River. Poyang Lake is China's largest freshwater lake.

"The 10-year fishing ban that has taken effect in all key waters of the Yangtze helps the country's longest waterway recover from dwindling aquatic resources and degrading biodiversity," said an official with the Poyang Lake National Nature Reserve Administration Bureau, adding that the local government's efforts and the awareness of local people have played important roles.

In recent years, China has stepped up efforts to protect its ecology and biodiversity. In 2017, it was estimated that a total of 1,012 finless porpoises were living in Chinese waters.