Last year, July 8, 2017 was set aside as Save the Vaquita Day. A year ago, the Vaquita porpoise was considered the world’s most endangered marine mammal with as few as 30 individuals left. So a year later, on International Save the Vaquita Day 2018 do we have anything more positive to report?
Extinction is Forever
In our last article we described that although the area of vaquita protection in Mexico’s upper Gulf of California has been enlarged, we also reported that the numbers of individuals continues to decline with estimates ranging from as few as a dozen to certainly no more than thirty.
Today’s efforts to save the vaquita have now truly become International with events as far away as Hong Kong. Bringing awareness to Asia is especially important because the decline of the Vaquita population is directly related to the illegal fishing of another endangered fish called the Totoaba.
The Totoaba’s swim bladder, once dried, is smuggled into China via organized crime syndicates for sale as an ingredient in traditional Chinese medicine. One bladder can demand prices as high as $10,000 on the black market.
Totoaba are caught by fishermen using outlawed gill nets that ensnare Vaquita porpoises as bycatch.
“The primary goal is to make as many people as possible aware of the vaquita and its plight and spur them to act. The species is nearly extinct, with only <30 individuals left, and declining at about 50% per year! We will have a simple message for folks about what they can do to help. Secondary goals are to gather signatures for our petitions to the Mexican government, and also to raise additional funds for future educational and research work on the vaquita. The event is designed to be fun, as well as educational, and kid-friendly!” Find out how you can become involved at Viva Vaquita.org.
Is It Too Late To Save the Vaquita?
Find out how you can become involved on International Save the Vaquita day at Viva Vaquita.org.
By Robert Frerck, Blue Ocean Network
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