The vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is a small porpoise native exclusively to the upper Gulf of California, Mexico. This marine mammal holds the distinction of being the world’s most critically endangered cetacean. Its population is now measured in single digits, representing a drastic decline from previous decades.
Current Population Status and Restricted Range
Recent scientific estimates place the vaquita population in the single digits. The 2024 survey, which combined visual observation with acoustic monitoring, estimated a minimum of six to eight individuals remaining in the wild. In comparison, the 2023 survey estimated the population at between eight and thirteen individuals, highlighting the species’ precarious situation.
Scientists rely heavily on acoustic monitoring, using underwater listening devices called C-PODs, to track the porpoise’s distinctive high-frequency clicks. This method is necessary because the vaquita is notoriously shy and avoids boats, making visual confirmation rare and difficult. The vaquita’s habitat is the northernmost part of the Gulf of California, covering only a few thousand square kilometers, which is the smallest range of any cetacean species. They prefer the shallow, turbid waters of the Upper Gulf, where the Colorado River delta meets the sea.
Distinctive Physical Traits and Life Cycle
The vaquita is the smallest of all living cetaceans, with adults typically reaching 1.5 meters (5 feet) in length and weighing up to 55 kilograms (120 pounds). They have a robust, stocky body, a rounded head with no prominent beak, and a disproportionately large, triangular dorsal fin. This large fin is theorized to help dissipate body heat in the warm waters of their habitat.
Their most distinguishing features are the prominent dark rings encircling their eyes and the dark patches on their lips, which give them a slight “smiling” appearance. This species is generally elusive and often observed alone or in pairs, rarely forming large social groups. The vaquita has a slow reproductive cycle, with females reaching sexual maturity between three and six years old and typically giving birth to a single calf only once every two years.
The Overriding Cause of Near Extinction
The near-total collapse of the vaquita population is attributed to a single threat: entanglement in fishing gillnets. These are vertical panels of netting that hang in the water like a wall, and the porpoises, which must surface to breathe, become trapped and drown. The most devastating source of this accidental death is the illegal fishing for the totoaba fish, which shares the vaquita’s habitat.
The totoaba is sought after exclusively for its swim bladder, which is illegally dried and smuggled out of Mexico to Asian markets, primarily China. This product is sometimes referred to as “aquatic cocaine” due to its high value and the organized crime syndicates involved in its trade. The gillnets used to catch the similarly sized totoaba are particularly deadly to the vaquita, trapping them with catastrophic efficiency, and driving the species’ rapid decline.
International Conservation Efforts
Conservation efforts are focused almost entirely on eliminating the deadly gillnet threat within the vaquita’s tiny remaining habitat. The Mexican government, in partnership with international organizations, established a Zero Tolerance Area (ZTA) in the Upper Gulf of California, where all fishing is prohibited. This area is patrolled by the Mexican Navy and supported by organizations like Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which use vessels and radar to detect illegal fishing activity.
A novel enforcement tactic involves the deployment of hundreds of large concrete blocks fitted with steel hooks onto the seabed in the ZTA. These blocks are designed to snag and destroy illegal gillnets, making the area unusable for illicit fishing operations. Furthermore, there is a push to develop and implement alternative, vaquita-safe fishing gear, such as specialized trawl nets and modified fishing lines, to support the local fishing communities. The international community, through CITES, is also involved in efforts to curb the illegal trade of the totoaba swim bladder, addressing the demand side.