The vaquita porpoise, the most endangered marine mammal according to the New York Times, may soon become extinct.
What's happening?
An annual expedition recorded the lowest number of vaquita porpoises ever; only a handful remain.
A Times article documented the unfortunate discovery. While the previous year's population was estimated at around 10, this year's numbers are even lower: only six to eight were observed. This news comes nearly one year after the International Whaling Commission's extinction alert and its "deep concern and disappointment at the government of Mexico's lack of progress in carrying out a rigorous and transparent assessment of alternative fishing gear," per the Times.
It may not be as bad as we think, but we should still prepare for the worst. As the Times mentioned, "the scientific team and the Mexican government cautioned that the population had not necessarily declined, emphasizing that more vaquitas may exist outside the search area."
Researchers hope that the reduction of porpoises in the area means they've moved, rather than died. Potential reasons for migrating include varying weather conditions like El Niño or simply searching for areas with more food.
Why are the porpoises important?
Vaquita porpoises are the smallest cetaceans, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. On average, they are only 4 to 5 feet long and often weigh less than 100 pounds. Compared to their cousins — whales and dolphins — these mammals are tiny.
Earth.Org calls them "an essential part of the natural food chain. … These gentle creatures serve as a vital mechanism of population control for several species of fish, crustaceans, and cephalopods."
Without them, the ecological balance of the Gulf of California would be disrupted. Their predators would have less available food, and their prey populations would remain unchecked.
What's being done about the porpoises?
A big factor harming the porpoises is gill nets, "a type of fishing gear that uses huge, drifting nets to trap shrimp and fish," according to the Times. Vaquitas get tangled in the nets and are unable to surface for air, so they drown — and so do other air-breathing marine animals, like dolphins and sea turtles.
Gill net fishing is already illegal in the area, but it is rarely enforced. These deaths are preventable, and Mexico is working toward stronger enforcement and new solutions. The government plans to "inform proposals of new fishing and no-fishing zones, and that a training for fishers on alternative gear was planned for August and September," per a spokeswoman for Mexico's National Commission of Protected Natural Areas (via the Times).
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