International Save the Vaquita Day (July 18, 2020) is intended to be an annual event similar to Earth Day, but with a specific focus on raising awareness and appreciation of the world’s most endangered marine mammal, the vaquita (Phocoena sinus).
One of the next things we asked ourselves was, is it too late to save the vaquita?
One answer is that vIVA Vaquita partner, Save The Whales has joined with nonprofits, zoos, and aquariums across the country. The current population of the Critically Endangered vaquita porpoise is thought to be a few as 10-15… VOTE TO HELP SAVE THE VAQUITA!
Can the vaquita be saved from extinction?
The window of opportunity for saving the vaquita is closing fast, but extinction is still preventable. You can help by making the right choices at the supermarket, by donating to conservation efforts, or simply by spreading the word.
Vaquitas share waters with the much sought-after totoaba fish and fishing nets inadvertently catch and drown the porpoise.
Mexico needs to know that we’re not standing by while the lack of enforcement in the Sea of Cortez is driving the vaquita to extinction. More than 200,000 people have signed our official petition since we launched it for International Save the Vaquita Day 2018. We are still waiting for action, and we won’t go silently!
How long does a vaquita live?
The gestation period lasts for 10 to 11 months and each female will only birth one calf every 2 years. This low reproductive rate and the limited geographical distribution of the species make it highly vulnerable to human disturbances.
Vaquitas only live in one small area in the north of the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez), off Mexico. They are not found anywhere else on Earth. The area they call home is just 2,235 square kilometres, although we think they may roam a bit further south along the Mexican coast.
Yet another question we ran across in our research was “What are the vaquitas predators?”.
Ban on Gill-net Fishing in the Sea of Cortez.