Swimming off the coast of Mexico in the Gulf of California live the few remaining vaquitas on earth. This endangered cetacean is not only the smallest porpoise species, but the most rare. Where there were once thousands of vaquitas swimming in the sea, today there may only be about 10 individuals remaining.
The vaquita wasn’t discovered until 1958. Now, nearly 70 years later, the entire species is on the verge of disappearance. What drove this shy little marine mammal to the brink of extinction and is there any hope of saving the species? Let’s explore what we know about the vaquita and look at the efforts being made to revitalize the population.
About the Vaquita
The name vaquita (pronounced VA-Keeta) means “little cow” in Spanish. Vaquitas are easy to recognize with their dark markings around their eyes and lips. They are about five feet long, have rounded heads, and no beaks.
Vaquitas are incredibly elusive. Dolphins are naturally curious and will often swim up to boats to investigate. Vaquitas, on the other hand, head the other way when they spot humans or boats. Scientists only learned of their existence in 1958 when a few vaquita skulls were found washed ashore.
Because of their shy nature, vaquitas are hard for researchers to observe. They tend to swim alone or in pairs and feed on crustaceans and small fish. Scientists have observed that the females give birth to one calf every other year. This slow reproduction rate is another hurdle the vaquita faces in increasing its numbers.
Where Do Vaquitas Live?
Vaquitas have a very limited range, swimming only in the northern part of the Gulf of California in an area between the Baja Peninsula and the mainland. Scientists have found most of the remaining vaquitas live in a small area to the east of the fishing town of San Felipe, Mexico.
What Caused the Vaquita Population to Decline?
It is estimated that there were once thousands of vaquitas swimming in the Gulf of California. However, researchers completed the first survey of their numbers in 1997 and estimated the population to be 567 individuals. Nearly 30 years later, with 10 or less remaining, the vaquita population has declined by 98%. Today, vaquitas are listed as critically endangered.
Vaquitas are not being hunted to extinction, but they are suffering collateral damage from fishing. The small porpoises get caught in fishing nets, called gillnets, meant to catch the endangered totoaba, shrimp, and other fish.
How Do Gillnets Work?
Gillnets are designed to catch fish of a certain size when the fish’s head passes through the net, but the body gets stuck. Theoretically, larger- and smaller-sized fish would either pass through the gillnet or their heads would be too large to get stuck in the first place.
However, gillnets need to be hung correctly for this to work. Otherwise, any swimming animal, large or small, gets trapped in the net. Vaquitas are getting stuck in gillnets meant for other marine animals and are dying before they can be released.
Is It Too Late to Save the Vaquita?
Many parts of the world ban gillnet fishing. It is officially illegal in the northern part of the Gulf of California, where the vaquita live. However, according to The New York Times, gillnet fishing still continues today and is overlooked by authorities in the area. Gillnet fishing for the totoaba (which is illegal) is especially dangerous for the similarly sized vaquita.
A survey taken of the vaquita population in the summer of 2024 only found six to eight individuals remaining. This doesn’t mean there are only six to eight vaquitas left in the world. Researchers believe they could be swimming outside of the survey area.
Researchers have found that vaquita can get caught in any sized gillnet whether for small shrimp or the larger totoaba. To save the species, Mexico must enforce the gillnet fishing ban in the vaquita’s range in the Gulf of California. Until all gillnets are removed from the area, the few vaquitas left are in danger.
What is Being Done to Revive the Population?
Research has shown the vaquitas are still reproducing, despite their low numbers. If they could only be free of the danger of the gillnets, it’s possible their numbers could slowly replenish.
Researchers have been using acoustic monitoring to try to discover if some of the remaining vaquitas have swum outside of the known range. If the range for vaquitas has expanded, vaquita researchers will request the ban area for gillnets be expanded.
Another option to eliminate the use of gillnets is to give fishermen alternative fishing gear that is equally as efficient. This would still allow them to earn a living without harming the vaquita. A spokeswoman for Mexico’s National Commission of Protected Natural Areas told The New York Times that it was planning training sessions to teach fishermen how to use new, less harmful equipment.
How to Help
The first thing we can do to help all endangered marine animals is to shop for sustainable seafood harvested from the United States or other countries with ethical practices and ethical fishery management.
If you’d like to donate, the Porpoise Conservation Society is a nonprofit organization working to raise awareness and support conservation efforts for the vaquitas.
And finally, write to your elected officials. Tell them you are concerned that gillnet fishing will cause the extinction of the remaining vaquitas. Mexico needs to do more than officially ban gillnet fishing in the Upper Gulf of California, they need to enforce the ban. Political pressure has worked in the past to persuade Mexico to step up conservation efforts, and it could work again for the vaquitas.
This article by Jennifer Geer was first published by AOL on 6 February 2025. Lead Image: The vaquita dolphin is in danger of extinction© Vynkdeepi666 / CC BY 4.0 / via Wikimedia Commons.
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