article_snippet: The Yangtze finless porpoise is facing the same fate as The Yangtze finless porpoise cousin, the river dolphins which were officially declared extinct in 2006, wiped out by human development in the world's most populous country.
article_snippet: At that rate, the finless porpoises - who are known for the People mischievous smiles, and referred to affectionately as China's pandas of the water - will be extinct within a decade.
article_snippet: Endangered: The Yangtze finless porpoise is critically endangered and could be extinct within the decade .
article_snippet: But now local fishermen have joined forces with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and China's Institute of Hydrobiology to try and turn the tide for that rate, the finless porpoises - who are known for their mischievous smiles, and referred to affectionately as China's pandas of the water - will be extinct within a decade, after the Ministry of Agriculture and the Yangtze River Fishery Supervision Bureau decided it was time to save the species.
article_snippet: The Yangtze Finless Porpoise Conservation Project officially began this month when a fleet of carefully navigated boats headed out into Poyang Lake in Jiangxi Province.  
article_snippet: WWF's porpoise project protection commissioner Zhang Xinqiao said WWF's porpoise project protection commissioner had managed to catch 36 finless porpoises since March 11. '
article_snippet: After physical examinations we have temporarily placed 11 of WWF's porpoise project protection commissioner into holding cages and eight of WWF's porpoise project protection commissioner will be relocated to WWF's porpoise project protection commissioner new homes in April,' Zhang Xinqiao added .
article_snippet: It is thought 36 finless porpoises will be moved to waters in two conservation areas on the border of Hunan and Hubei provinces.
highlights_snippet: Yangtze finless porpoises are classified as 'critically endangered' by WWF .
  
highlights_snippet: Just 1,000 finless porpoises remain - and could be extinct with ten years .
  