The smallest living species of cetacean, the vaquita can be easily distinguished from any other species in its range. It has a small body with an unusually tall, triangular dorsal fin, a rounded head, and no distinguished beak. The coloration is mostly grey with a darker back and a white ventral field.
What is a vaquita?
The vaquita is a shy member of the porpoise family. Vaquitas are the most endangered of the world’s marine mammals. Less than 30 vaquitas remain in the wild, and entanglement in gillnets is driving the species toward extinction.
Most vaquitas live east of the town of San Felipe, Baja California, within a 1,519-square-mile area that is less than one-fourth the size of metropolitan Los Angeles. This area also includes the Delta of the Colorado River Biosphere Reserve, one of the earth’s most diverse marine habitats.
Do vaquitas migrate?
MIGRATION: This species does not migrate. BREEDING: Mating between vaquitas takes place in the spring or early summer, and following a gestation period of approximately 11 months, young are born the following year. Young vaquita calves are nursed for several months before being weaned. Females give birth to one calf about every two years.
The main threat to vaquitas is death by drowning in fishing gear.
What does a vaquita fish look like?
These torpedo-shaped marine mammals are dark gray, with a light or white underbelly, and large dark patches around each eye. Vaquitas have a small dorsal fin on their backs, two pectoral fins (one on either side of the body), and a tail fin, also known as a fluke.
The vaquita’s unique facial markings of a black ring around each eye and black curved lips have been compared to a smiling panda. They are dark gray on their dorsal (top) surface with pale gray sides and a white underside with light gray markings.
Then, how can you tell a porpoise from a vaquita?
You’ll know you’re looking at a vaquita if you see a porpoise with a round black patch around his or her eye and black ‘smiling’ lips. Of course, the vaquita isn’t smiling any more than a performing dolphin is, but the shape of their lips makes it look as though they are. Vaquitas have a small, chunky, grey body with paler sides and a white belly.
Do vaquita still exist?
The vaquita is not only the world’s smallest cetacean, but also the most endangered marine mammal. It’s currently estimated that only 10-15 vaquita remain and their population has decreased at an astonishing rate.
During recent surveys, scientists spotted multiple vaquita, including mother-calf pairs, indicating that the species is still reproducing.
Why is the vaquita going extinct?
Vaquitas share waters with the much sought-after totoaba fish and fishing nets inadvertently catch and drown the porpoise.
Will the vaquita fish go extinct?
The vaquita will be extinct if fishery bycatch is not eliminated immediately. Nearly one out of every five vaquita get entangled and drown in gillnets intended for other marine species like the totoaba, a critically endangered fish also found in the upper Gulf of California.
How many vaquita are left in the world?
The vaquita is the most endangered cetacean in the world. With as few as around 10 left, the species will become extinct without a fully enforced gillnet ban throughout their entire habitat. WWF is urgently working to ensure they can live and thrive in their natural habitat.
What is the difference between a male and female vaquita?
Females are longer than males, but males have larger fins. Vaquitas have small, strong bodies with a rounded head and no beak. They have black patches around their eyes and lips and small, spade-shaped teeth. Vaquitas also have triangle-shaped dorsal fins in the middle of their backs, which are taller and wider than in other porpoises.