Vaquita Welfare: The World's Rarest Marine Mammal

The vaquita is the world's most critically endangered marine mammal with fewer than 10 individuals remaining in the Gulf of California.

Key Facts

Fewer than 10 vaquitas are estimated to survive as of 2024
They are caught as bycatch in illegal totoaba fishing nets
Totoaba swim bladders are smuggled to China for traditional medicine at huge profit
Despite conservation efforts populations have continued declining
A failed captive rescue attempt in 2017 showed vaquitas cannot tolerate captivity

Welfare Considerations

Vaquitas drowned in gillnets set illegally for totoaba fish experience acute drowning as small porpoises unable to surface for air. The near-certain extinction of the species means every individual death has devastating consequences for a gene pool now too small to maintain genetic diversity. Attempted captive rescue in 2017 showed that vaquitas die from the stress of capture even with expert care, demonstrating their extreme sensitivity. Each of the fewer than 10 remaining individuals experiences the full weight of their species' extinction risk in every interaction with human fishing activity.

What You Can Do

Support Sea Shepherd and WWF vaquita conservation campaigns
Advocate for Mexican navy enforcement against illegal totoaba fishing
Oppose purchase of totoaba-derived products
Support US-Mexico-China cooperation on totoaba smuggling reduction
Raise awareness about the vaquita as the most critically endangered animal on Earth