Last Ditch Effort to Save A Dying Species

Humans, unfortunately, do not have the best history when it comes to maintaining our relationships with the unique species that make up Earth’s wildlife. Many human factors contribute to the decline of a species, including habitat loss and degradation, urban sprawl, and ill-fit regulations to protect endangered populations. 

The vaquita are a charismatic species that has become one of the world's most endangered species. Their populations have declined over the past half-century. Estimates suggest only ten adult individuals are left in Mexico’s Northern Gulf of California. If nothing is done to prevent further decline, they will be erased from Earth’s oceans forever. 

Vaquita are extremely small and agile cetaceans that are incredibly elusive in the wild, making them all the more difficult to see as their population numbers continue to decline. They often inhabit nearshore waters where they come into contact with fishers, illegal gillnets, boats, and humans. The northern region of the Gulf of California has been designated a marine protected area, restricting fishing and banning illegal gillnets, often the culprit of vaquita deaths. However, illicit management tactics and a lack of supervisory resources have allowed continued illegal fishing activities that pose risks to the remaining vaquita. 

Studies suggest 1 in 5 vaquita get entangled and drown in gillnets intended for other species like the totoaba fish. The high price commodity of the totoaba, also a native species to these waters, is the driving force behind continued fishing. Totoaba fish were heavily overfished in the 1970s, even listed as endangered by the late 1970s. There is an international trade ban on totoaba products, but the demand is still thriving in Chinese markets, which has fueled an increase in illegal fishing efforts over the last decade. Many Chinese clients purchase the totoaba’s swim bladder for holistic medicinal purposes. Illegal fishing is incredibly lucrative to local fishers, who can receive up to $4,000 USD per pound of totoaba swim bladder they supply, making them almost half a year’s income. 

Governmental efforts have interceded to support the tiny porpoise, beginning with U.S. President Barack Obama and Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto’s collaborative efforts like installing an international committee to focus on developing vaquita safe fishing technologies for local fishermen. This committee has worked diligently to improve fishing techniques, avoiding any bycatch complications and contributing to scientific studies on specimens they find in the wild. 

All is not lost for the vaquita, as recent studies extrapolated DNA data collected on individuals over the last 40 years to suggest their species will not suffer extinction due to inbreeding. The remaining individuals are still genetically unique enough to prevent those population complications. Experts suggest their population could rebound over the next 50 years if complete protection is provided and their numbers do not suffer any further exponential declines. 

Saving the vaquita will continue to face challenges from tense relationships between conservationists and local fishermen, foreign market demand for illegal products, and continued use of damaging fishing technologies. The installed committees, scientists, and government officials work to provide every available resource to aid the vaquita’s recovery and future protection.