Brad Baudler from the United States is an English teacher at Nanjing Xiaozhuang University in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province. [Photo/ourjiangsu.com]

Brad Baudler, who has been teaching English at Nanjing Xiaozhuang University in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu province for 15 years, says he has witnessed improvements in the natural environment in the province.

Six years ago, the photography enthusiast fell in love with the finless porpoise after chancing upon one in the Yangtze River. He has since been returning to the river to photograph the creature, and has during this process witnessed the spike in its population numbers.

"I saw the largest number of finless porpoises last year," said Baudler. Following China's 10-year fishing ban in the Yangtze River which started on Jan 1, 2021, "there is now more food for finless porpoises in the river and this has led to an increase in the population," he explained.

Baudler often shares his pictures of these creatures with his students to encourage them to learn more about and protect the rare species.

Pictures taken by Baudler. [Photo/ourjiangsu.com]

"Jiangsu is my second home as I have been working here for more than 10 years. The province has made significant efforts to preserve its natural environment, and I hope more people can learn about Jiangsu's beauty through my lens," Baudler said.