Vaquita – Last Chance for the Desert Porpoise

The vaquita lives only in the northern reaches of the Gulf of California, Mexico, also known as the Sea of Cortez, in an area not much larger than 40 square miles. At less than five feet long, vaquita calves are the size of a loaf of bread at birth. Distinctive in appearance, a black stripe runs forward from each flipper to the middle of the lower lip. It has a black circular patch around each eye, and its black lips set off a haunting little smile.

Unfortunately, the vaquita is on both the U.S. and Mexican endangered species lists as well as the (IUCN) the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of species in critical danger of extinction. Scientists estimate a mere 125 – 150 individuals remain. It is expected the population will dwindle to extinction if management solutions are not found immediately.

The vaquita – whose name means ‘little cow’- was first noted in 1958 and only described as recently as 1985. This shy, elusive species is disappearing due to accidental entanglement in gill nets. Gill nets are nearly invisible fishing nets set in the water like curtains and often left unattended by coastal fishers primarily fishing for shrimp. Vaquita are unable to detect the nets and become entangled and drown when they accidentally swim into them. Like whales and dolphins, they must come to the surface to breath. Gill nets are the greatest single cause of vaquita mortality.

Laws were created, reserves designated and fund raisers held, but as of today, the decline continues. The vaquita is sliding ever closer to the edge of oblivion where it is on course to join its cousin; the Baiji (Lipotes vexillifer). The Baiji, also known as the Yangtze River dolphin, lived only in China in the Yangtze River. In 2007, it was the first cetacean species to be declared extinct in modern times, as a direct result of human activities.

Following the loss of the baiji, the vaquita is now the next marine mammal in line for extinction. Vaquita live nowhere else on Earth, and if we lose this population, they are gone forever.

The Mexican government is undertaking a two-year plan to remove gillnets from the water to save the vaquita. However the fisheries buy-out is set to have a significant impact on families in an area of limited economic opportunity, and where fishing is currently the only source of income. In order to save the vaquita, the fishermen of the upper Gulf of California must also be taken care of, the question is how will this work?

In its final hour, the vaquita needs the world to listen. With no voice or real visible presence of its own with which to endear itself into the psyche of humanity, it is time for international cooperation and swift action on its behalf.

Robert Pitman of NOAA Southwest Fisheries reflects in the 2007 Natural History magazine article entitled, ‘How Now, Little Cow? – “The vaquita has no value as a commodity: It is too shy and small ever to support an ecotourism venture. It is not a vital link in the marine food chain. There is no cure for any human disease lurking in its liver proteins. It is just a lowly beast trying to make its way, like the rest of us. Its loss would barely be noticed. Yet it is part of the magnificent diversity of life on Earth that our generation inherited, and it is rapidly becoming part of the dwindling legacy we are leaving behind. We have a year or two now to decide whether we are going to let this species live, or whether, like the baiji, we vote it off the island and wipe that little black smile off the face of the Earth forever.”