Yangtze estuary
Shanghai, China · 31.40°, 121.80° · Ocean plastic
Asia's longest river carries huge loads of plastic and nutrients to the sea, and its finless porpoise is critically endangered.
The Yangtze basin is home to around 400 million people and much of China's industry. Studies rank it among the rivers carrying the most plastic into the ocean, although estimates vary widely. Its unique dolphin, the baiji, was declared functionally extinct in 2006; the Yangtze finless porpoise survives in low numbers. A ten-year fishing ban began in 2021 to let fish stocks recover.
In the game
Yangtze estuary flares up as Polluted water. The fix is a gesture: drag through the floating waste to sweep it up. Done right, it becomes Water cleaned ♻️. Finish all three steps of its chain in one round for a combo, or take your time in Explore mode: a place you fully restore stays green on your map for good.
🧭 Fly there and restore it▶ Play a 60-second round