Critically endangered porpoisefound dead with bricks tied to it

YUEYANG, CHINA — Chinese fishermen discovered a critically endangered Yangtze Finless Porpoise dead in a lake in the most barbaric way imaginable. <br /><br />According to a post on Weibo by Toutiao news, fisherman of Dongting Lake in Yueyang alerted authorities when they came across the dead animal on Thursday. <br /><br />Photo and video evidence posted by the East Dongting Ecological Protection Association documented an 18-centimeter long slash down the animal's belly, and how a rope with two bricks on the end had been tied to its tail.<br /><br />The porpoise measured 1.52 meters in length and weighed 43 kilograms.<br /><br />According to WWF, The Yangtze Finless Porpoise is critically endangered with an estimated population between a mere 1,000 and 1,800.<br /><br />The Yangtze Finless Porpoise is known for its "mischievous smile" and high level of intelligence comparable to that of a gorilla.