#phocoena sinus

EXTREME CRITICALLY ENDANGERED VAQUITAS ARE HAVING BABIES

The 2025 vaquita survey conducted by Sea Shepherd and CONANP Mexico confirms that the vaquita, the world's most endangered marine mammal, is fighting for survival. Researchers estimate a small group of at least 7 to 10 individuals remains, with evidence of recent reproduction including new calves and healthy juveniles. Most significantly, the survey shows no signs of the rapid population decline witnessed in previous years. The footage was obtained within the protected Zero Tolerance Area, a gillnet-free sanctuary that provides a vital refuge for the remaining vaquitas.

Crucially, the survey reveals that vaquitas are now regularly venturing beyond the protected Zero Tolerance Area into northwestern waters, where illegal gillnets make the area deadly. The survival of these last vaquitas, particularly vulnerable mothers and calves, now depends on urgently extending conservation efforts to protect these newly identified habitats. Immediate action is needed to safeguard the species' remaining foothold.

video drones by Fabian Rodriguez/ Sea Shepherd Conservation Society/ CONANP

The vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is a species of porpoise endemic to the northen end of the Gulf of California. They are the smallest living cetacean. It is extremely endangerf as it is estimated than there are as few as around 10 left. They are exposed to alteration and pollution of their habitat, but mostly their decline is because of bycatch in nets set out for Totoaba fishing.

The Totoaba or Totuava (Totoaba macdonaldi) is a marine fish endemic to the Gulf of California. Once abundant it is now classed as Vulnerable by the IUCN due to human threats and illegal fishing.

-

This was the last of the sketches prepared during the Vulnerable Animals Week 2023 and finally reaching completion, the prompt for the day was free and I decided to depict these two species as their conservation is strongly intertwined and the vaquita may become extinct or functionally so within the next years, the small amount of individuals left making the estabilshment of a future healthy population very difficult.

today’s species is Phocoena sinus, or the vaquita! this small cetacean’s area is currently restricted to a small portion of the upper Gulf of California. it has a generalist diet. its conservation status is Critically Endangered, and there is less than ten left in the wild.

more info here and at the image link

Vaquita | Phocoena sinus

“Vaquitas are record-holders among all cetaceans. Thus, these animals are the smallest cetaceans, meanwhile being the smallest porpoises; they have the smallest range; and finally, Vaquitas are the most critically endangered cetacean species in the world. ‘Vaquita’ is a Spanish word meaning "little cow". The scientific name of this animal means “porpoise of the gulf”, as this cetacean is endemic to Mexico. Vaquitas are a quite recently discovered species: they were first identified in 1958 based on skulls and were first observed in 1985.

Vaquitas can be found solitarily, in pairs as well as in groups, consisting up to 7 individuals. These shy and secretive animals do not tend to perform acrobatic maneuvers. When coming to the surface to breathe, they move slowly and are quite difficult to spot, barely disturbing the surface and diving back into the water. As common in cetaceans, these animals are known to use echolocation when looking for prey. However, some species of fish these cetaceans consume, give out specific sounds, suggesting that Vaquitas are likely to find them due to these sound instead of using echolocation. They also use echolocation when communication with conspecifics in areas with murky waters.

Vaquita (Phocoena sinus)

Out of time

There it is. The surface. So close the light dances painfully in her eyes. She can’t help but keep looking. So close. And yet something keeps her down. Invisible tendrils stroked her side in a completely unpleasant way, like a jellyfish she didn’t see in time. But instead of swirling away when she flicked her tail at them, the silvery strands held fast. The more she twisted the more it grabbed her. And now her flukes and fins ache from the sharp bites it delivered. So now she hangs still, because moving hurts. Something needs to be done. But what? There it is, the surface. So close. But somehow, it is getting darker.

-- -- -- -- -- 

The Vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is the world’s most endangered marine mammal. Discovered by mankind relatively recently (the 1950′s), this porpoise is found only in the northern section of the Gulf of California and has fondly been nicknamed “the Panda of the Sea” due to the dark markings on its face. Although it has never been common, the vaquita population has declined dramatically over the past two decades as a result of being caught in gillnets by fisherman who illegally hunt another critically endangered species that is also found only in the gulf, the totoaba. As of early 2019, it is estimated that only 22 vaquita exist on the entire planet.

So far, efforts to prevent the extinction of the vaquita have been largely unsuccessful. Plans to capture and captive breed the last individuals were suspended in November 2017 after a female died hours after being captured. Further delays were caused by the slow reaction of the Mexican government to approve conservation plans. Unless drastic action is taken, the vaquita is likely to go extinct within the next few years. 

Visit HERE to learn more about the vaquita and efforts being made to save them. 

There are several species in existence today that once had population levels as low as that of the vaquita. We should not believe that saving this species is impossible, but time is running out and immediate action needs to be taken NOW.