Vaquita: Mexico’s ‘Panda of the Sea’ Survives Despite Threats From Illegal Fishing

The vaquita, a small porpoise on the verge of extinction, is still hanging in there, according to a new scientific survey that spotted about a dozen specimens of Mexico's "panda of the sea" in May.

The vaquita is the world's most endangered marine mammal, found only in the Gulf of California, where it faces a deadly threat from illegal fishing nets.

The survey, conducted by an international team of researchers and conservationists, provides a glimmer of hope for the survival of this rare and elusive species.

The Plight of the Vaquita

(Photo : STR/AFP via Getty Images)

The vaquita is the smallest and most distinctive of all porpoises, with a gray body, dark eye rings, and mouth patches, and a triangular dorsal fin, as per The New York Times.

It grows to about 1.5 meters (5 feet) in length and weighs about 55 kilograms (120 pounds).

It feeds on small fish and squid in shallow waters near the coast.

The vaquita was first described as a species in 1958, but its population has declined dramatically since then due to a bycatch in gillnets, a type of fishing gear that hangs like a curtain in the water and catches fish by their gills.

The vaquita also gets entangled and drowns in these nets, which are used illegally to catch totoaba, a large fish whose swim bladder is highly valued in China for its supposed medicinal properties.

Despite various conservation efforts by the Mexican government and international organizations, such as banning gillnets, creating a protected area, deploying navy patrols, and offering compensation to fishermen, the vaquita's situation has not improved, as per Phys.org.

According to the latest estimate by the International Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita (CIRVA), there were only about 10 Vaquitas left in 2021, down from about 30 in 2016 and about 600 in 1997.

The vaquita is listed as "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), meaning that it faces an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild.

It is also considered a "flagship species" for the conservation of the Gulf of California, a biodiversity hotspot that hosts many other marine animals, such as whales, dolphins, sea lions, sharks, and turtles.

Also Read: Endangered California Vaquita Porpoise Could Be Saved From Extinction If We Stop Illegal Fishing

The Hope for the Vaquita

The new survey, conducted in May 2023 by researchers from Durham University, Disney's Animals, Science and Environment, and the Jane Goodall Institute, along with support from Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and other partners, aimed to assess the current status and well-being of the vaquita.

The survey used visual identification and acoustic monitoring to locate and track vaquitas in their core habitat within the Zero Tolerance Area (ZTA) of the Vaquita Refuge, a highly protected zone where gillnets are strictly prohibited.

The survey team observed between 10 and 13 vaquitas during their 17-day expedition, including one or two calves.

They also recorded their behavior and activity patterns using drones and camera traps. They found that the vaquitas appeared to be healthy and adapted well to their natural environment.

They also noted that gillnetting activity within the ZTA had decreased significantly compared to previous years, thanks to the increased enforcement by the Mexican Navy and Sea Shepherd.

The survey team concluded that the gradual supported release of primates into the wild can be an effective strategy to improve their well-being and facilitate their adaptation to their natural habitat.

The team concluded that there is still hope for the vaquita's survival, as long as gillnetting is eliminated from its habitat and its population is monitored regularly.

They also suggested that measuring cortisol levels and behavior can provide useful indicators of well-being in reintroduced primates.

Lastly, they hghlighted the importance of continuing and strengthening the collaboration among various stakeholders, such as government agencies, NGOs, local communities, and fishermen, to ensure the long-term conservation of the vaquita and its ecosystem.