More attention needs to be paid to save the endangered Yangtze finless porpoise, Pu Cunxin, a well-known actor, who is also a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference said on Sunday.

Pu made a proposal on the political consultative conference on Sunday concerning the protection of the species.

From 1993 to 2002, the number of finless porpoises dropped to fewer than 1,000 from 4,000. There are no figures available after 2002.

"The reasons for the sharp reduction are over-fishing, water transportation projects, the construction of a water conservancy project, pollution, and excessive extraction of sand," said Pu. "And the most important reason is the people's apathy toward endangered species."