Xu Xinrong, Song Jinyuan, Zhang Zhenhua, Li Peng, Yang Guang, Zhou Kaiya
Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
Sci Rep. 2015 Jan 30;5:8147. doi: 10.1038/srep08147.
Chinese white dolphins (Sousa chinensis) inhabiting shallow coastal waters are vulnerable to impacts from human activities in the near shore waters. This study examined the population of Chinese white dolphins occurring off the coast of Zhanjiang in the northern South China Sea. A total of 492 Chinese white dolphins were identified, 176 of which were photographed on more than one occasion. The Zhanjiang Chinese white dolphin population is isolated from populations of conspecifics along the Guangdong coast. It is composed of approximately 1485 individuals (95% CI = 1371-1629; SE = 63.8), with estimates of mean representative range and core area of 168.51 and 44.26 km(2), respectively. The high site fidelity and long-term residence of Chinese white dolphins in the study area are well established. A review of all available data indicates that based on what is currently known, the Zhanjiang Chinese white dolphin population is the second largest of the species and genus in the world. However, the recent industrial boom along the Zhanjiang coast has increased concerns regarding the conservation of the Zhanjiang Chinese white dolphin population. We recommend the designation of a national nature reserve as a most urgent measure for protecting Chinese white dolphins in Zhanjiang waters.
栖息在浅水沿海水域的中华白海豚（Sousa chinensis）极易受到近岸水域人类活动的影响。本研究调查了中国南海北部湛江沿海的中华白海豚种群。共识别出492头中华白海豚，其中176头被多次拍摄到。湛江中华白海豚种群与广东沿海的同种海豚种群相互隔离。该种群约由1485头个体组成（95%置信区间=1371-1629；标准误=63.8），平均代表性范围和核心区域估计分别为168.51平方公里和44.26平方公里。中华白海豚在研究区域内具有较高的地点保真度和长期居留性，这一点已得到充分证实。对所有现有数据的回顾表明，就目前所知，湛江中华白海豚种群是世界上该物种和属中第二大的种群。然而，湛江沿海最近的工业繁荣增加了人们对湛江中华白海豚种群保护的担忧。我们建议指定一个国家级自然保护区，作为保护湛江水域中华白海豚的最紧迫措施。
