Vaquita Conservation: Protecting the World’s Most Endangered Marine Mammal
Meet the Vaquita: A Marine Mammal in Crisis
The vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is a small porpoise, about 5 feet in length, known for its distinctive facial markings. This gentle species inhabits a limited region in the northern Gulf of California in Mexico. Though the species has always had a small population size, illegal gillnet fishing for the endangered totoaba fish (Totoaba macdonaldi) has driven vaquita numbers to critical lows, as they become unintended bycatch.
The first full survey of vaquita population size, conducted in 1997, estimated around 600 vaquitas. By 2008, the population had dropped to just over 200. Surveys in 2023 revealed only 10–12 individuals, and by May 2024, only 8 remaining vaquita were identified.
Despite these low numbers, there are reasons for hope. Calves observed in 2023, and a juvenile in 2024, show that the vaquita population is still reproducing. Genetic studies reveal that the population has enough diversity for recovery if bycatch can be prevented and habitats protected. While the path to recovery is challenging, international conservation efforts are advancing to safeguard this species and restore balance to its ecosystem.
Vaquita Porpoise Population Estimations
VaquitaCPR: A Bold Mission to Save the Vaquita
In 2017, a groundbreaking initiative called VaquitaCPR (Conservation, Protection, & Recovery) was launched, bringing together marine mammal experts, veterinarians, and biologists from around the world. The goal was ambitious: to temporarily care for vaquitas in a protected area until it was safe for them to return to the wild. This mission required an extraordinary commitment and collaboration, as well as deep expertise in marine mammal science.
Despite dedicated efforts, the species proved challenging to sustain in human care, highlighting the complexities of saving a species so unaccustomed to captivity. VaquitaCPR provided invaluable lessons that continue to shape conservation efforts. It underscored the need for innovative, collaborative actions to protect vaquitas in their natural habitat, a challenge that would evolve into a global mission known as Operation GRACE.
To learn more about VaquitaCPR’s mission and legacy, visit VaquitaCPR.org.
Raising Awareness: Sea of Shadows
The 2019 National Geographic’s documentary Sea of Shadows shed light on the vaquita’s urgent situation and the race to prevent extinction. Directed by Richard Ladkani and executive-produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, Sea of Shadows captures the dramatic work of investigators, scientists, journalists, and the Mexican Navy in their fight against illegal fishing and wildlife trafficking. This film raised global awareness about the vaquita’s plight, bringing attention to the complex issues surrounding conservation and the illegal totoaba trade.
Today’s Efforts: Operation Esperanza
The lessons learned during the VaquitaCPR highlighted the need for broader, community-based conservation strategies to protect at-risk small cetaceans in their natural environments. In response, NMMF launched Operation GRACE, the Global Rescue of At-Risk Cetaceans and Ecosystems, to prevent extinctions through collaborative, on-the-ground efforts. By partnering with international and local experts, empowering communities, and advancing veterinary and conservation medicine, Operation GRACE provides a powerful, comprehensive approach to the urgent protection of dolphins, porpoises, and whales worldwide.
Within Operation GRACE, Operation Esperanza (“Hope” in Spanish) is a targeted mission dedicated specifically to saving the critically endangered vaquita porpoise in the northern Gulf of California. Partnering with global and local organizations and species experts, Operation Esperanza employs cutting-edge science, advanced technology, and community collaboration to secure a future for the vaquita and the region’s vital biodiversity.
Operation Esperanza’s Objectives:
Acoustic Monitoring: Using advanced acoustic detection systems, we are able to track vaquita movements and behavior in real time, guiding conservation efforts.
Drone-Based Health Assessment: Through specialized drones, we can observe vaquita health and behavior without disturbing their natural environment, allowing us to monitor population well-being and identify potential threats.
Environmental DNA (eDNA) Research: Analyzing eDNA, we’re unlocking the secrets of the vaquita’s habitat use, distribution, and genetics, paving the way for more effective conservation strategies.
Community Engagement and Sustainable Fishing: Working with local fishing communities to promote alternative gear that protects vaquitas while supporting sustainable livelihoods.
We are actively seeking funding to support this critical work.
A Shared Path Forward: Community and Collaboration
Local partnerships are essential for protecting the vaquita and its ecosystem. By working alongside Mexican communities, local species experts, and marine scientists, we are fostering sustainable solutions to secure a future for the vaquita and the biodiversity of the region.
Join the Fight to Save the Vaquita
The vaquita’s survival depends on global action. By raising awareness, supporting conservation efforts, and advocating for sustainable fishing practices, we can give this species a fighting chance. Join Operation Esperanza today, and together, we can rewrite the story of vaquitas, from the brink of extinction to a symbol of hope for future generations.
Learn More About Our Journey
The NMMF and Dolphin Quest present Operation GRACE: Scientific Snapshot Series, a virtual storytelling experience spotlighting groundbreaking efforts to protect at-risk cetaceans and their ecosystems.
These sessions explore the urgent fight to save the vaquita, the world’s rarest marine mammal. Through first-hand accounts and emerging solutions, the series offers a powerful look at the challenges, triumphs, and global collaborations driving hope for endangered species.
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The NMMF is a key partner in VaquitaCPR (Conservation, Protection, & Recovery), a consortium comprised of marine mammal scientists, veterinarians, and biologists from around the world that came together to attempt to save the vaquita porpoise from extinction. In 2017, the VaquitaCPR team set out on a bold rescue mission aimed at temporarily protecting vaquitas under human care until their natural habitat was safe for them to return.
Vaquitas have been drowning at alarming rates in gillnets for shrimp and finfish. The government of Mexico banned gillnet fisheries; however, the vaquita porpoise continues to be a victim of bycatch, due to illegal fishing for the totoaba. The swim bladders from the totoaba fish are highly valuable in Chinese markets. Along with the totoaba and masses of other marine life, vaquitas get entangled in these nets and drown.
Read the details of the VaquitaCPR rescue plan here, and the scientific paper that summarizes how the project went and lessons we learned as we continue our work to save the world’s most endangered marine mammals.
In the wake of VaquitaCPR field operations, the team launched Project Esperanza with an aim to provide the species with a chance at survival, while also supporting the good work of local fishers and organizations working together to make a difference. Project Esperanza supports the multi-institutional gillnet removal efforts and acoustic monitoring efforts in the Upper Gulf of California, and is urgently working to raise global awareness of the vaquita crisis.
To learn more about the VaquitaCPR conservation efforts, please visit: www.vaquitacpr.org
Sea of Shadows
VaquitaCPR’s conservation efforts are featured in the new National Geographic documentary, Sea of Shadows. From executive producer Leonardo DiCaprio and director Richard Ladkani, also known for The Ivory Game, Sea of Shadows follows undercover investigators, scientist, journalists, and the Mexican Navy on their desperate last-minute effort to rescue the Earth’s smallest whale from extinction. The documentary crew spent a month filming with the VaquitaCPR team in San Felipe, Mexico to capture every possible moment of the ground-breaking conservation effort.
