The worlds most endangered marine mammal, the vaquita; is the smallest type of porpoise (whale), and it looks different from other species of its kind. It has a small body, mostly gray with a darker back and a white belly. Black patches are around its lips and eyes. Vaquitas are found in the northern Gulf of California, Mexico.
Female vaquitas are bigger than males, reaching about 4.9 feet long, while males are around 4.6 feet long. They weigh between 60 to 150 pounds.
Also nicknamed the 'panda of the sea',
Vaquita means sea cow in Spanish
Roles in ecosystem:
Vaquitas are essential marine predators in the Gulf of California. They eat various fish, squid, and crustaceans, which helps keep their prey populations in check and maintains a balanced ecosystem. As top predators, vaquitas also influence the behavior and distribution of their prey, affecting the entire food chain. Their presence shapes the marine environment, and their role can impact other species too. Protecting vaquitas is crucial for the Gulf's health and stability. If they decline or go extinct, it could disrupt the whole ecosystem and affect other marine life in the region. Conservation efforts for vaquitas are essential to preserve the delicate balance of their habitat.
Cause of decline:
Vaquitas only live in the small area where fishing is a major industry. Therefore, the main cause of their decline is by fishnets and gillnets. Their region also is host to the Totoaba -an endangered fish, that is illegally fished for its valuable swim bladder and sold at high prices to China, where it's used in soup with claimed medicinal properties. A single bladder is sold for over $10.000.-
Conservation efforts:
Mine hunting dolphin being re-trained
- Banning illegal fishing
-Banning the use of Gillnets
-Rounding them up and leading them to protected water habitats with the help of trained dolphins (aborted due to failure)
The Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) announced that it may reduce the protected area for the vaquita in the Sea of Cortés as there are only ten of the porpoises left.
Scientific tools:
Remote sensing: Using aerial or satellite images to monitor changes in the Gulf's ecosystem that may affect vaquitas
Protecting vaquitas and their habitat is essential to ensure their survival and maintain the balance of the Gulf's ecosystem. Enforcement tools: Using geospatial data to monitor illegal fishing activities and enforce protected areas for vaquitas.
Ways to help:
Check the seafood watch app before buying seafood, 80% of shrimp from this region is consumed in the United States. So shrimp consumers in the US are doing the opposite of helping, you can stop eating shrimp.
Rally to ban fishnet usage, and fine fishing boats that discard nets to the ocean
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