Marine mammal research and conservation in China

Abstract

Forty species of marine mammals have been reported from Chinese waters. Studies on systematics and taxonomy, morphology, and conservation biology of Chinese marine mammals are briefly reviewed. Brief accounts of systematic and taxonomic studies on Lipotes, Neophocaena, Tursiops, Sousa and Delphinus are included. Studies of gene sequences of Lipotes and other river dolphins in recent years support ranking Lipotidae as a family. The studies of structure and function were mainly on Lipotes and Neophocaena. The researches on conservation biology of Lipotes, Neophocaena, Sousa and other marine mammals in the past decades have provided scientific bases for conservation actions. Natural reserves for Lipotes and Neophocaena, Sousa, Dugong and Phoca largha were established. © 2002, The Japanese Society of Fisheries Science. All rights reserved.