Exploring the Estuary: Guardians of Chinese White Dolphins (Part 2)

BEIJING — In Fujian, traditional tales hold that Chinese white dolphins are incarnations of the sea goddess Mazu, while in Guangdong, fishermen have long called them "Baiji," meaning "white taboo." These traditions reflect the long-standing coexistence between Chinese white dolphins and coastal communities.

Carrying their place in folklore into modern culture, Chinese white dolphins have remained a beloved symbol. They served as a mascot for the 1997 Hong Kong handover celebrations and now inspire the mascots of the 15th National Games.

At the Guangdong Jiangmen Chinese White Dolphin Provincial Nature Reserve, conservation workers are dedicated to protecting Chinese white dolphins and fostering coexistence between the species and local communities. Supported by the FAO-GEF Demonstration of Estuarine Biodiversity Conservation, Restoration and Protected Area Networking in China, these efforts are exploring new approaches to estuarine biodiversity conservation and protected area networking.