Development of a Real-Time Acoustic Monitoring System for Yangtze Finless Porpoises

The real-time acoustic monitoring system for Yangtze finless porpoises consists of hydrophones, data acquisition systems, processing systems, communication systems, and cloud-based display systems. This system is capable of real-time detection and estimation of the presence and population of Yangtze finless porpoises. Deployed in the Nanjing section of the Yangtze River in December 2019, the system has since collected a wealth of vocalization data from the porpoises. Observations of spatiotemporal patterns in the vocalizations provide robust support for monitoring, conservation, and scientific research efforts aimed at preserving the Yangtze finless porpoise population.