A group of endangered Yangtze finless porpoises is seen in the river on Nov 24. [Photo/WeChat account: ntlsfjmsq]

A group of highly endangered Yangtze finless porpoises was recently seen in the Nantong section of the Yangtze River.

The rare sighting was captured by local photographer Lu Jun on Nov 24 and soon attracted attention online.

The finless porpoise is a member of the cetacea family and one of the only two aquatic mammals to live in the river, the other being the Baiji dolphin.

The porpoise was designated as "critically endangered" and placed on the red list of threatened species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2013.

Scientific research on the species released by the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs in 2018 shows that its population was just 1,012－fewer than that of the giant panda.

According to local authorities, the rare animals have visited the Nantong section of the river more than three times this year, which an expert said may be a result of less interference from human activities or an increase in food availability.

In recent years, the Nantong government has been striving to restore local ecosystems and implemented a strict fishing ban in the river, leading to major improvements in the water quality and landscape in the waterfront area.

Photographers try to capture the rarely seen Yangtze finless porpoises at the waterfront area in Nantong. [Photo/WeChat account: ntlsfjmsq]