Critically endangered vaquita swimming in the Gulf of California.

Can We Save the Vaquita, the World’s Most Endangered Marine Mammal?

Endangered vaquita swimming in the Gulf of California. Image credit: NOAA

The vaquita is a very shy porpoise and the most endangered marine mammal in the world. There are only about 9 or 10 vaquitas left, and they will go extinct unless we completely stop using gillnets in their habitat. In 2023, the International Whaling Commission sent out its first-ever “extinction alert” to warn people that the vaquita was in serious danger of disappearing forever.

Vaquitas live in a very small area—the northern part of the Gulf of California in Mexico. This region has lots of fish and shrimp, so fishing is a big source of income for people who live there. However, fishermen use gillnets, which means they get trapped in nets meant for other animals, like the totoaba fish. Totoaba is also endangered and lives in the same area as the vaquita. In the mid-1970s, totoaba were overfished, and their numbers dropped so low that Mexico declared them endangered in 1975, followed by the U.S. in 1979.

Even though it’s illegal to trade totoaba, there is still a high demand for their swim bladders, especially in China. Many people believe the swim bladders can cure illnesses, so they are sold for very high prices. Fishermen can earn about $4,000 for just one pound of swim bladder, which is about half a year’s income from legal fishing. This illegal trade has caused a surge in totoaba fishing, and as a result, more vaquitas are getting caught and killed in gillnets.

Without stopping gillnet fishing and the illegal trade in totoaba swim bladders, the vaquita will soon be gone forever.

What do vaquitas look like?

The vaquita, the most endangered marine mammal, is about 5 feet long and is one of the smallest members of the dolphin, whale, and porpoise, or cetacean, family.  Vaquitas have small bodies with a rounded head and no beak. They are also very strong. They have black patches around their eyes and lips and small, spade-shaped teeth. Vaquitas also have triangle-shaped dorsal fins in the middle of their backs, which are taller and wider than in other porpoises. These fins might allow vaquitas to reduce their body temperatures in warm water. Vaquita backs are dark gray, while their bellies are a lighter gray.

The vaquita is about 5 feet long and has a round face and no beak.
The vaquita is about 5 feet long and has a round face and no beak. Image credit: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0

How do they act, and what do they eat?

Vaquitas are often found alone or in pairs. These are shy animals that usually avoid boats with engines and people. They are difficult to see because of their small size.

Vaquitas eat small fish, crustaceans (such as shrimp), and cephalopods (such as squid and octopuses).

What is being done to save the endangered vaquita?

Here’s the bad news. Although the Mexican government banned gillnets for a while, they lifted that ban in 2021. Unless that changes, the most endangered marine mammal will disappear forever.

Read more about vaquitas at this link:

CNN Vaquita Extinction Alert


Stay tuned to this page for more information about endangered species.

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