World’s most endangered marine mammal faces imminent extinction as fewer than 10 vaquita porpoises remain

The vaquita porpoise, found only in Mexico’s Gulf of California, has become the world’s most critically endangered marine mammal with fewer than 10 individuals estimated to remain in the wild. This small cetacean, which grows to just five feet in length, faces imminent extinction despite years of conservation efforts.

The primary culprit behind the vaquita’s dramatic decline is illegal fishing for the totoaba fish, whose swim bladders are highly prized in traditional Chinese medicine and can fetch tens of thousands of dollars on the black market. Vaquitas become accidentally trapped and drown in the gillnets used to catch totoaba in the Sea of Cortez, also known as the Gulf of California.

While Mexican authorities have implemented fishing bans and established protected areas, enforcement remains inadequate to save the species. The lack of consistent monitoring and prosecution of illegal fishing activities has allowed the lucrative totoaba trade to continue virtually unabated. Conservation groups estimate that the vaquita population has declined by more than 90% since 2011, when approximately 245 individuals were believed to exist.

Scientists warn that without immediate and dramatic action to eliminate gillnet fishing in vaquita habitat, the species will likely become extinct within the next few years. The vaquita’s plight represents one of the most urgent marine conservation crises of our time, highlighting the devastating impact that illegal wildlife trade can have on vulnerable species.