Mexico’s only endemic marine mammal, the vaquita is considered the most endangered marine mammal species alive.
The vaquita is a slender porpoise with distinctive dark rings around the eyes and mouth. It is the world’s smallest and most endangered cetacean, and lives in the warm shallow coastal waters in the northern end of the Gulf of California. The vaquita is the only species of porpoise to live in such warm waters, and can uniquely tolerate large fluctuations in temperature. Although vaquita have never been hunted directly, populations are declining as a result of incidental mortality in fishing gear called ‘gillnets’. The Mexican Ministry of Environment declared a Vaquita Refuge which contains approximately 80% of all verified vaquita sightings positions, with the local state governments providing compensation to local fishermen affected, though the population continues to decline. A recent study has estimated that the population is only 30, highlighting the urgent conservation attention they need.
- Order: Cetartiodactyla
- Family: Phocoenidae
- Population: 30
- Trend: decreasing
- Size: 120-150cm
- Weight: 55kg
Vaquita’s have the most limited distribution of any marine cetacean. They are only found in shallow waters at the northern end of the Gulf of California, from Puertecitos, Baja California Norte, north and east to Puerto Pelfasco, Sonora. They are most commonly found around the Colorado River delta.
Habitat and Ecology
This species inhabits shallow, murky lagoons along the shoreline where there is strong tidal mixing, convection processes and high food availability. Individuals are generally seen traveling alone or in small groups of 1-3 individuals, although they are sometimes observed swimming in groups as large as ten. They feed primarily on bony fish and squid which are found at or near the bottom of the sea.