Changing environment

Compared with more popular tourist sites like Sanya in Hainan province, where hotels are almost lined up along the seaside, Sanniang Bay is still under-developed. There is only one hostel and a number of seafood restaurants close to the shore.

Pan Wenshi, center, a renowned professor and wildlife expert with Peking University, chats with Xiao Yingzi, right, mayor of Qinzhou, about how to prevent the Chinese white dolphins and their habitat in Sanniang Bay from being affected by the invasive economic development.

With its pristine nature and the chance to see dolphins in the wild, Sanniang Bay is growing in popularity. Since 2008, the bay has attracted more than 1 million tourists a year, with the crowds reaching almost 100,000 a day during peak seasons.

As many as 10 motorboats carrying roughly 80 tourists can often be seen in the bay, said student Chen Mei.

More ambitious blueprints have been drawn up to attract more tourists, including plans to develop at least one five-star hotel, said Yao Zerong, deputy director of Sanniang Bay Tourism Management Committee.

Fishermen and villagers said they are witnessing many changes.

For generations, Huang Xiaode's family has made a living by fishing in the bay. He learned to fish when he was young and has since become very knowledgeable about the dolphins. He often guides researchers like Pan out to the sea to study the dolphins.

Every day, Huang gets up at 3 am and goes fishing for grouper and other species, which he sells to restaurants. He then returns to the shore before 8 am to start work as a motorboat captain with a local tourist company. He usually makes four trips out to sea.

"There were a lot more dolphins years ago in Sanniang Bay," said the fisherman.

Pan and his team, as well as researchers like Chen, say they are ready to double their efforts to get to know more about the ecology of the Chinese white dolphin.

"No one should change a dolphin's habitat without being certain of the consequences," said Porter.

Pan added: "I hope when people visit here (Sanniang Bay) in two years they will see Qinzhou accomplish its two goals: Preserving the dolphins and becoming a new modern city."