Vaquita | Species

Dolphins and Porpoises
Vaquita

Dolphins and Porpoises
Vaquita

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Overview
Why They Matter
Threats
What WWF is Doing
How You Can Help
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Overview

Status
Critically Endangered
Population
Likely fewer than 200 individuals
Scientific Name
Phocoena sinus
Height
Up to 5 feet
Weight
Up to 120 pounds
Habitats
Marine (only in the northern Gulf of California)

In the upper part of Mexico's Gulf of California lives the world's smallest porpoise, the vaquita. Rare and elusive, this little porpoise wasn't discovered until 1958. Today, little is known about them. Vaquitas are most often found close to shore in the Gulf's shallow waters, although they quickly swim away if a boat approaches.

The vaquita has a large dark ring around its eyes and dark patches on its lips that form a thin line from the mouth to the pectoral fins. Its dorsal surface is dark gray, sides pale gray and ventral surface white with long, light gray markings. Newborn vaquita have darker coloration and a wide gray fringe of color that runs from the head to the dorsal flukes, passing through the dorsal and pectoral fins.

Vaquita are under threat from the fishing industry. They often die after being caught in gillnets, a problem known as bycatch.

Map data provided by IUCN.

Places
Gulf of California
Habitats
Oceans

Browse Photos & Videos

Why They Matter

The vaquita is the most endangered cetacean in the world. With likely fewer than 200 left, the species may go extinct without further protective measures. WWF works to ensure they can live and thrive in their natural habitat.

Threats

Population Likely fewer than 200 individuals
Extinction Risk Critically Endangered
1. EX
  Extinct
  
  No reasonable doubt that the last individual has died
2. EW
  Extinct in the Wild
  
  Known only to survive in cultivation, in captivity or as a naturalised population
3. CR
  Critically Endangered
  
  Facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the Wild
4. EN
  Endangered
  
  Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild
5. VU
  Vulnerable
  
  Facing a high risk of extinction in the Wild
6. NT
  Near Threatened
  
  Likely to qualify for a threatened category in the near future
7. LC
  Least Concern
  
  Does not qualify for Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, or Near Threatened

A fishing boat in the Gulf of California.

Vaquitas have natural predators such as sharks, but their greatest threat comes from bycatch, in which they are accidentally caught and drown in gillnets. Since even one vaquita caught is too many, urgent measures must be taken to protect them from this type of fishing gear. Bycatch must be eliminated completely for the species to recover.

What WWF Is Doing

To save vaquitas, we must eliminate bycatch. WWF has been studying vaquitas for years and working on protective measures, such as developing alternative fishing gear that reduces the threat of accidental vaquita capture. We are working on improving fisheries management in the upper part of the Gulf of California, in order to solve the overall fisheries threat to the vaquita.

WWF, together with Mexico’s National Fisheries Institute (INAPESCA) and NOAA, developed and pilot tested a different type of trawl net targeting brown shrimp. It contains an excluder device to reduce vaquita bycatch while still effectively catching shrimp. Last year, the net was tested is considered ready for use in the Upper Gulf. We are training fishermen to use the new alternative gear effectively and efficiently.

All vaquita photos on this page by Thomas A. Jefferson from the joint research project with the Marine Mammals Research and Conservation Coordination of the National Institute of Ecology of Mexico. Photo obtained under permit No. DR7488708 of SEMARNAT (Mexican National Commission of Protected Natural Areas).

Experts

Leigh Henry Senior Policy Advisor, Species Conservation & Advocacy

How You Can Help

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