I'm sorry I haven't been writing for a while but I'm very busy with my university exams. I promise that from now on I'm trying to write posts more often...starting with this one, a Sea Shepherd's operation that I care very much. Enjoy :)
The vaquita porpoise is considered by many to be the rarest species of marine mammal in the world – it is critically endangered, at imminent risk of extinction. It is estimated that as few as 97 vaquitas remain, living only in the warm waters of the northernmost tip of the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortéz), near Baja California, Mexico. The smallest of all seven porpoise species, it is also the smallest cetacean in the world. The vaquita, which means “little cow” in Spanish, is also known as the “smiley panda of the sea” due to its signature dark marks around its eyes and mouth.
Vaquitas have a comparatively short lifespan of approximately 20 years, and have never been held in captivity. With a slower rate of reproduction than that of other porpoises – giving birth to only one calf every two years – these petite porpoises are being wiped out far quicker than they can reproduce.
The vaquita population drastically plummets by 18.5 percent every year and it is estimated that it could be extinct by 2018 if they continue to fall victim to by-catch.
Sea Shepherd with the R/V Martin Sheen is collecting data in an effort to collaborate with scientific and conservation efforts to contribute to the survival of the remaining vaquitas.
Watch the captain of the R/V Martin Sheen, Oona Layolle, talking about the operation and the incredible and wonderful sighting of a vaquita! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5Gcqv4TQwY
