Rising numbers of finless porpoises show Yangtze water quality improving: Pan Biling

Pan Biling, a CPPCC National Committee member, is interviewed at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Sunday afternoon. [Photo/Xinhua]

Finless porpoises - known in China as water pandas due to their rarity - have seen their numbers surge to about 1,000 in the Yangtze River thanks to improvement in water quality in the country's longest water body, Pan Biling, deputy head of Hunan province's environmental watchdog told reporters.