Vaquita (Phocoena sinus) resides in the enigmatic depths of the Gulf of California a creature on the verge of extinction. As the world’s smallest porpoise, these marine mammals face an unprecedented crisis, its numbers are decreasing rapidly close to vanishing forever.
With a shy nature, the vaquita navigates the murky waters, its small, rounded body and distinctive dark eye patches setting it apart. Human activities have cast a long shadow over its existence, driving the vaquita population towards an uncertain future.
Appearance
The vaquita is a small porpoise, growing to the size of around five feet for females and four and a half feet for males. They are the smallest living cetaceans and only weigh around sixteen pounds when they are born. They have no beak. Their dorsal fins are unique in that they are taller and wider than most other porpoises.
The vaquita is closely related to Burmeister’s porpoise and is similar in appearance. The vaquita is a small animal with dark eyes, a rounded head, and a darker back with a lighter underside. Their dorsal fin is relatively large when compared to that of other porpoise species. The throat and belly are streaked with white. They are easily distinguished from all other species in their range.
It measures around 1.4 to 1.5 meters (4.5 to 5 feet) in length, with a weight of up to 54 kilograms (120 pounds). Its coloration is a medium to dark gray on the dorsal (upper) side, fading to a lighter gray or white on its ventral (under) side. The most distinctive features are the black patches around the eyes and lips, resembling thick eyeliner and a subtle “smile.” Additionally, the vaquita’s dorsal fin is relatively tall and triangular, often with a slightly curved tip.
Did you know…
They are incredibly shy and elusive, rarely surfacing for long periods or engaging in acrobatic displays like other porpoises. This makes them challenging to study and contributes to their enigmatic nature.
Habitat
Vaquitas have an incredibly small geographic range. It has been described by some as the smallest of any marine animal. The species lives only in the northern part of the Gulf of California in Mexico. That is, within a 1,519 square mile radius. It includes the Delta of the Colorado River Biosphere Reserve, a diverse and bountiful area that includes numerous species of marine and terrestrial animals.
They prefer the shallow waters of these areas, less than 490 feet in depth. There, they can find a great deal of food. Sometimes, they are mistaken for dolphins when their long dorsal fins stick out of the water near the shore.
Diet
As carnivorous predators they primarily feed on small fish, shrimp, and squid that inhabit the murky depths. They target bottom-dwelling or near-bottom species like grunts, croakers, lanternfish, deep-sea smelt, and shortfin squid.
To locate and capture their prey, vaquitas utilize echolocation, emitting high-frequency clicks and interpreting the echoes to navigate and pinpoint prey. They then employ suction feeding to quickly draw in their targets. This diet of fish and squid provides the essential protein, fats, and vitamins necessary to fuel their active marine lifestyle.
Reproduction
Vaquitas reach sexual maturity when they are between three and six years old. Their pregnancy is long, lasting nearly twelve months. They give birth to a single calf every other year between February and April. The calf is typically 2.5 feet long and 16 pounds.
This slow reproductive period is part of the reason the species has had such a difficult time maintaining their numbers. They live to be around twenty years old. It’s believed that males compete for female attention, known as polygynous mating.
Threats
The vaquita is on the brink of extinction and is categorized as critically endangered by the IUCN. It was only discovered in the 1980s, and it was unknown at that time how many members of the species there were or what their range was. But in 1997, it was determined that there were 567 individuals left in the species. By 2007, there were only 150 of these small porpoises left. But since February 2022, scientists have determined that there are only ten individual vaquitas left.
The vaquita is currently highly threatened by the impact of bycatch. The small porpoises are vulnerable to entanglement in gillnets and other types of fishing gear. The Mexican government has taken steps to save the species. This includes restrictions on all illegal fishing, using passive acoustics to monitor their effort, and a permanent ban on the use of illegal gillnets within the range of this critically endangered species.
7 More Amazing Facts about Vaquitas
- There are believed to be ten vaquitas left in the world.
- They live to be around twenty years old.
- Vaquitas give birth to one calf at a time.
- They produce high-frequency sounds for communication.
- Vaquitas are typically observed alone or in small groups of 2-3 individuals, rarely exceeding 10.
- Mother vaquitas and their calves exhibit strong bonds.
- It is the most endangered marine mammal.
FAQs
Why is the vaquita endangered?
The vaquita’s status is closely related to the use of gillnets to fish for totoaba, a species of fish. The small porpoise gets tangled in this net and other kinds of fishing gear. This is the primary reason that their population numbers decrease at such a rapid pace.
Can the vaquita be saved?
Some conservationists believe that it is still possible to save the species. It will depend on reducing the human impact on this small porpoise to zero. But, regulating fishing in the Upper Gulf of California in Mexico has been difficult. Other scientists take a more pessimistic approach, believing that since no real changes have effectively made a difference in the last ten years any future work is not going to change what seems destined to happen.
Do sharks eat vaquitas?
Yes, there is evidence that sharks eat vaquitas. In the past, when their population numbers were larger, scientists believed that they served as an important food source for larger animals as well as important predatory animals themselves.
Which animals eat them?
They face minimal threats from natural predators due to their small size and elusive behavior. However, larger marine animals like sharks or transient orcas pose an opportunistic threat, especially to young or vulnerable individuals.
Featured image credit: Alfokrads
