Vaquita

The vaquita is a species of porpoise endemic to the northern end of the Gulf of California in Baja California, Mexico. Averaging 150 cm or 140 cm in length, it is the smallest of all living cetaceans. The species is currently on the brink of extinction, and currently listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN Red List; the steep decline in abundance is primarily due to bycatch in gillnets from the illegal totoaba fishery.

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Vaquita porpoises have escaped extinction for longer than expected, despite an estimated fewer than 20 remaining in 2018. To help the species recover, scientists highlight the importance of fishers' having access to and training in alternatives to gillnets, which can entrap and drown vaquita.