The vaquita (“little cow”) is a species of porpoise that is on the brink of extinction. They inhabit only about 900 square miles of the northern end of the gulf of California in the Sea of Cortez. From an estimated 600 vaquita in 1997 to only 12 individuals in March of 2018, their plunging population is a direct result of the illegal use of gillnets intended for another endangered species of fish, the totoaba. While the Mexican government permanently banned gillnets and conservation efforts are ongoing, many fear they are too little, too late.
Interesting Fact: Weighing around 90 lbs at maturity, a vaquita calf however is the size of a loaf of bread at birth. The mother will push her newborn calf to the surface as the touch of air on the skin triggers that first, crucial breath. The calf is not born with enough body fat or blubber to float easily, so the mother will swim nonstop for the first several weeks of her newborn’s life to ensure it can get to the surface for air.
The vaquita (“little cow”) is a species of porpoise that is on the brink of extinction. They inhabit only about 900 square miles of the northern end of the gulf of California in the Sea of Cortez. From an estimated 600 vaquita in 1997 to only 12 individuals in March of 2018, their plunging population is a direct result of the illegal use of gillnets intended for another endangered species of fish, the totoaba. While the Mexican government permanently banned gillnets and conservation efforts are ongoing, many fear they are too little, too late.
Interesting Fact: Weighing around 90 lbs at maturity, a vaquita calf however is the size of a loaf of bread at birth. The mother will push her newborn calf to the surface as the touch of air on the skin triggers that first, crucial breath. The calf is not born with enough body fat or blubber to float easily, so the mother will swim nonstop for the first several weeks of her newborn’s life to ensure it can get to the surface for air.
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