5. Vaquita
Vaquita live in Mexico’s Gulf of California and are the smallest and most endangered cetacean in the world. About 40 to 80 are killed in gill nets each year. The World Wildlife Fund in both Mexico and the US are collaborating on implementing measures to protect them such as the creation of a marine preserve and banning the use of damaging fishing equipment in their habitat. Without such actions, the animal may not survive much longer. It is the only porpoise adapted to live in such warm water.
Population: approximately 600 or less
Reproduction: Not much is known on this topic. They could have a gestation period of 11 months, and give birth to one calf every two years.
What Can I Do?
Donate to the World Wildlife Fund specifically for the vaquita. Watch this Vaqita video. Take your camera if you visit the Gulf of California and photograph the porpoise if you can. There aren’t many photos of them alive. Take a legitimate ecotour and view the vaquita in its natural habitat without disturbing it. If local fisherman begin to understand the endangered porpoise has tourist appeal maybe they will be more open to changing. Image Credit: William Shepard courtesy of World Wildlife Fund
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Posted by E.J. on Sunday, April 19th, 2009 at 10:04:06
Posted in Environment, World
Tags: Amur, Andalucia, animals, antelope, biodiversity, Cameroon, cetacean, China, conservation, Dagestan, EcoWorldly, extinction, frog, gorilla, Java, leopard, lynx, Mexico, Nigeria, rhino, Russian, Saiga, Silky Sifafka, Spanish, Sumatra, tiger, traditional chinese medicine, USA, vaquita, Vietnam
