>>Over the past few years, the vaquita—a small porpoise that lives exclusively in the shallow waters of Mexico’s Gulf of California—has been careening towards extinction. By 2016, scientists had concluded that vaquita numbers had dropped to 30, down from around 200 in 2012. Despite efforts to protect the animals, the vaquita population has continued to dwindle; according to a new study published in Royal Society Open Science, there are 19 vaquitas “at most” left in the wild.

Detectors were installed in 2011, and ever since, experts have been monitoring the vaquitas’ alarming decline. The new report looked at acoustic data from 2017 and 2018, also taking into account a population estimate from 2015 and visual observations. As of last summer, the researchers concluded, vaquitas likely numbered fewer than 19. This represents a 98.6 percent decline since monitoring began eight years ago, and the reality of the situation may in fact be even more dire.

The primary threat to vaquita survival is illegal fishing, specifically the use of gillnets, a wall of netting that hangs in the water. Fishermen in Mexico use these nets with the goal of trapping totoaba fish, which, like vaquitas, have been deemed “critically endangered” by the IUCN. Totoaba swim bladders—gas-filled sacs that help fish stay buoyant—are highly prized in China for their use in traditional medicine. Justin Rohrlich of Quartz reported last month that the bladders can sell for between $20,000 and $80,000 per kilogram.<<

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/there-are-most-19-vaquitas-left-wild-180972791/

PermeateFree said:

>>Over the past few years, the vaquita—a small porpoise that lives exclusively in the shallow waters of Mexico’s Gulf of California—has been careening towards extinction. By 2016, scientists had concluded that vaquita numbers had dropped to 30, down from around 200 in 2012. Despite efforts to protect the animals, the vaquita population has continued to dwindle; according to a new study published in Royal Society Open Science, there are 19 vaquitas “at most” left in the wild.

Detectors were installed in 2011, and ever since, experts have been monitoring the vaquitas’ alarming decline. The new report looked at acoustic data from 2017 and 2018, also taking into account a population estimate from 2015 and visual observations. As of last summer, the researchers concluded, vaquitas likely numbered fewer than 19. This represents a 98.6 percent decline since monitoring began eight years ago, and the reality of the situation may in fact be even more dire.

The primary threat to vaquita survival is illegal fishing, specifically the use of gillnets, a wall of netting that hangs in the water. Fishermen in Mexico use these nets with the goal of trapping totoaba fish, which, like vaquitas, have been deemed “critically endangered” by the IUCN. Totoaba swim bladders—gas-filled sacs that help fish stay buoyant—are highly prized in China for their use in traditional medicine. Justin Rohrlich of Quartz reported last month that the bladders can sell for between $20,000 and $80,000 per kilogram.<<

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/there-are-most-19-vaquitas-left-wild-180972791/

Comes down to money as usual

Cymek said:

PermeateFree said:

>>Over the past few years, the vaquita—a small porpoise that lives exclusively in the shallow waters of Mexico’s Gulf of California—has been careening towards extinction. By 2016, scientists had concluded that vaquita numbers had dropped to 30, down from around 200 in 2012. Despite efforts to protect the animals, the vaquita population has continued to dwindle; according to a new study published in Royal Society Open Science, there are 19 vaquitas “at most” left in the wild.

Detectors were installed in 2011, and ever since, experts have been monitoring the vaquitas’ alarming decline. The new report looked at acoustic data from 2017 and 2018, also taking into account a population estimate from 2015 and visual observations. As of last summer, the researchers concluded, vaquitas likely numbered fewer than 19. This represents a 98.6 percent decline since monitoring began eight years ago, and the reality of the situation may in fact be even more dire.

The primary threat to vaquita survival is illegal fishing, specifically the use of gillnets, a wall of netting that hangs in the water. Fishermen in Mexico use these nets with the goal of trapping totoaba fish, which, like vaquitas, have been deemed “critically endangered” by the IUCN. Totoaba swim bladders—gas-filled sacs that help fish stay buoyant—are highly prized in China for their use in traditional medicine. Justin Rohrlich of Quartz reported last month that the bladders can sell for between $20,000 and $80,000 per kilogram.<<

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/there-are-most-19-vaquitas-left-wild-180972791/

Comes down to money as usual

Well, millions of dollars have already gone into unsuccessful efforts to save the vaquita. I’d say it really comes down to crime rather than money.

From wikipedia:

“Since the baiji (Yangtze River dolphin, Lipotes vexillifer) is thought to have gone extinct in 2006, the vaquita has taken on the title of the most endangered cetacean in the world. It has been listed as critically endangered since 1996. The population was estimated at 600 in 1997, below 100 in 2014, approximately 60 in 2015, around 30 in November 2016, and only 12-15 in March 2018”.

I’m not 100% convinced that it is the most endangered, because several cetacean species are only known from a single individual. I’m not minimising the plight of the vaquita, just saying that it isn’t the only cetacean in need of urgent attention.