No.0137In residence
Ichigo
イチゴ
Finless PorpoiseNeophocaena asiaeorientalis
- Sex
- Female
- Born
- May 15, 2013
EN— Endangered
Finless Porpoiseスナメリ
Neophocaena asiaeorientalisEN— Endangered
The finless porpoise is a small, dorsal-fin-less cetacean found in the coastal waters of East and South Asia, including the seas around Japan, as well as a critically endangered freshwater population in China's Yangtze River. It feeds mainly on fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods and shows notable social behavior, including allonursing and body-rubbing between individuals. While coastal populations have suffered long-term declines from bycatch and habitat degradation, the Yangtze population is in the most severe crisis, with only around 1,249 individuals estimated in 2023; the species overall is classified as Endangered by the IUCN.
Finless Porpoise (reference photo)
Species Data
- Classification
- Cetartiodactyla / Phocoenidae Source
- Size
- Body length about 1.5–2 m
- Weight
- About 50–60 kg
- Lifespan
- Usually does not exceed 20 years in the wild; the longest record in captivity is about 33 years (one individual lived 28.8 years)
- Diet
- Piscivore Carnivorous, feeding on fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods
- Distribution
- Finless porpoises inhabit coastal waters of East and South Asia, from the Persian Gulf through the Taiwan Strait to the Yellow Sea and Japan, with a distinct freshwater population in China's Yangtze River that is critically endangered. Source
- Sources
- ja.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org
Did You Know?
- Lacking a long spinous process just behind the skull, finless porpoises can rotate their heads through a wide range of roughly 40 degrees. Source
- In 1976, Toba Aquarium in Mie Prefecture, Japan, achieved the world's first successful captive breeding of the finless porpoise. Source
- Genetic evidence indicates that Neophocaena represents the most basal living lineage within the porpoise family, making it evolutionarily significant among cetaceans. Source
Where to See This Species
Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 4
Toba AquariumMieOpened in 1955
No.0138In residence
Mario
マリオ
Finless PorpoiseNeophocaena asiaeorientalis
- Sex
- Male
- Born
- April 18, 2005
EN— Endangered
No.0139In residence
Peace
ピース
Finless PorpoiseNeophocaena asiaeorientalis
- Sex
- Male
- Born
- June 1, 2022
EN— Endangered
No.0140In residence
Go
ゴウ
Finless PorpoiseNeophocaena asiaeorientalis
- Sex
- Male
- Born
- Unknown
EN— Endangered
Miyajima Public AquariumHiroshimaOpened in 2011
Osaka Aquarium KaiyukanOsakaOpened in 1990
Port of Nagoya Public AquariumAichi5 minutes on foot from Exit 3 of Nagoyako Station on the Subway Meiko Line (transfer to the Meiko Line at Sakae Station on the Higashiyama Line, or at Kanayama Station on the Meitetsu and JR lines).
Former facilities
Enoshima SuizokukanKanagawaOpened in 1954
Closed: 2004-01 Official Site
Temporarily closed facilities
Shinyashima SuizokukanKagawaOpened in 1969
Temporarily closed Official Site
Source links to official sites, official YouTube channels, and news aggregators such as Zoo Ring. Visit the publisher for the full item.
Conservation Story
Conservation Status
Endangered (EN)
Sources
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- Visit
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Individuals Remembered
FAQ
- Why doesn't the finless porpoise have a dorsal fin?
- Instead of a true dorsal fin, it has a low ridge covered in thick skin with rows of tiny tubercles, an adaptation whose exact function is still studied by researchers. Source
- Where can finless porpoises be found in Japan?
- They occur in coastal waters from Sendai Bay in the north down to Tokyo Bay, Ise Bay, the Seto Inland Sea, and the coast of Nagasaki Prefecture, including Omura Bay and the Ariake Sea. Source
- Is the finless porpoise endangered?
- The species is classified as Endangered by the IUCN. Its most critical population lives in China's Yangtze River, where only about 1,249 individuals were estimated to remain in 2023. Source
- How many operating facilities are registered here?
- Operating facilities registered on this site: Japan 4 Source
Books & gear
Source: aquarium.co.jp aquarium.co.jp miyajima-aqua.jp www.iucnredlist.org