The Last Hope for Saving the Vaquita: The World's Most Endangered Porpoise

This dolphin, with dark circles around its eyes like a panda, is called the ‘Vaquita’.

The name Vaquita originates from the Spanish word for ‘little cow’. Its body size reaches a maximum of only 150cm, making it smaller than most adult women. Due to its unique appearance, it has unfortunately faced severe endangerment since its initial discovery by humans.

Searching for the Vaquita online reveals the rapid decline in its population. Data from 2015 indicated 100 individuals, but by 2017, it had fallen to around 30. As of 2023, only about 8 individuals are confirmed to be alive. Over the past 8 years, the population has decreased to less than one-tenth of its previous size.

The reason for this rapid extinction of the Vaquita is, unfortunately, human activity. The Vaquita, which inhabits the Gulf of California in Mexico, frequently gets caught and dies in gillnets set to capture other fish species. Gillnets are extremely thin nets, almost invisible to the naked eye. The issue is that the other fish species they're trying to catch are also endangered. The capture of the endangered ‘Totoaba’ for trade with China poses a threat to both endangered species simultaneously.

The Vaquita is currently classified as Critically Endangered (CR) on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List. However, the confirmed population of 8 may not all be alive, so it wouldn't be surprising if they went extinct this year.

When the remaining population is this small, increasing the numbers becomes even more challenging. To increase the population, breeding is necessary, but with only 8 individuals remaining, inbreeding is inevitable. Inbreeding can lead to reduced genetic diversity and a significantly higher chance of mutated offspring. Fortunately, one research study suggests that the Vaquita may be less susceptible to the risks of inbreeding compared to other species.

However, illegal fishing remains a major problem. Even if the Vaquita population increases through natural breeding, continued illegal fishing will prevent it from escaping the threat of extinction. Dolphins, as mammals, can only give birth to one offspring at a time, making natural population growth a time-consuming process.

Protecting the Vaquita requires, first and foremost, cracking down on illegal gillnet fishing. The Mexican government has banned commercial fishing near the Gulf of California to prevent illegal fishing and compensated fishermen to fish in other areas. However, despite these efforts since 2005, the lack of effectiveness in preventing extinction led the Mexican government to designate the Vaquita’s habitat as a Zero Tolerance Area (ZTA) and step up enforcement against illegal fishing.

Perhaps this is the last chance to prevent the extinction of the Vaquita. Humans must restore the ecosystems they have damaged.