The Yangtze finless porpoise is a critically endangered species with a population of around 1,000, and the government, researchers and volunteers are working tirelessly to preserve them.

Tan Ge, secretary of the Yueyang Porpoise Protection Association in Hunan province, joined the cause in 2018.

The 31-year-old has been working on the front lines of ecological protection, traveling by boat on Dongting Lake and Xiangjiang River, a tributary of the Yangtze, saving not only finless porpoises but also other species in the area.

She has participated in more than 350 field trips to tackle illegal fishing, more than 100 of which took place at night.

The association also formed a team called "save the smiles of finless porpoises" that teaches environmental protection at organizations, factories, schools and communities, guides student societies from around the country on field trips, and holds writing and painting contests to raise awareness about the animal.