The vaquita is the world’s smallest marine mammal, reaching about 4 to 5 feet in length, and residing in the northern Gulf of California. Since 1990, the porpoise has been considered "Critically Endangered" according to the 'IUCN' - a nonprofit organization that surveys and measures species and categorizes them based on their vulnerability. As of 2020, the Vaquita is considered the rarest species - with only 8-10 estimated remaining. If human intervention continues to fail, the Vaquita could become a figure of the past, so let's take a dive and investigate what exactly is causing the mammal to remain on the brink of extinction, and perhaps learn how we can participate in preserving hope for all vulnerable species alike. 

The Illegal Trade of Totoaba Fish Swim Bladders

For years, a black market of Totoaba swim bladders has remained one of the biggest economic marketplaces spanning across California. Illegal fishing operations are set up in order to gather large quantities of the exotic fish, and export them to China - where they are valued as a delicacy. Totoaba swim bladders are so valuable, they are often referred to as the "Cocaine of the sea." In 2024, government officials seized 100lbs of the fish, which had an estimated worth of at least 1.5 million USD. Despite proper arrests being made, the market continues further - it is now one of the largest marine economic prop-ups in the past decade, worsening every day. 

How does this affect the Vaquita? 

The Vaquitas are affected by Illegal Totoaba trade due to their size - because the porpoise is so tiny, they often get caught in fishing nets made for the Totoaba - if they're lucky, they'll survive with serious injuries. Most aren't.

Because the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California) is the roaming area for both the Vaquita and the Totoaba, Vaquitas have been essentially wiped from their only habitat.

Why have conservation efforts failed? 

Recent conservation efforts for the Vaquita have failed due to the inability to reliably study them for long periods of time. Scientists have only attempted to rescue two - which failed due to their tendency to panic and injure themselves when held captive. This led to the death of one and the immediate release of the other. Besides domestication, the species' miniscule population has made it impossible for a survey to yield helpful results. The only realistic option remains shutting down illegal fishing operations, and protecting large areas of the Sea of Cortez - an executive duty left to state lawmakers and congress.

The Vaquita is not the only suffering marine mammal due to illegal fishing - in fact, a species of dolphin went extinct only 20 years ago; the 'Baiji.' The Baiji was a dolphin that located itself in the Yangtze River in China, but is now considered "Possibly/Functionally Extinct" due to excessive poaching and habitat destruction. It's considered functionally extinct due to their being no known sightings in years, but data is uncertain due to the inability to properly survey the waters, according to the IUCN. 

To put it simply; the Vaquita can be saved - only if all illegal gillnet fishing is strictly eliminated from their highly concentrated habitat - the window to save them from becoming functionally extinct (like the Baiji) is incredibly narrow, and time is running out.

What can we do to participate in the conservation of the Vaquita? 

Everybody can help donate and spread awareness about the future extinction of the Vaquitas through various non-profit resources. Even if you cannot donate, following movements and spreading awareness helps increase the Vaquita's chance at making an ecological comeback significantly. Here are some helpful resources that provide more information and in-depth ways to contribute: 

https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/dolphin-and-porpoise/vaquita/

https://porpoise.org/save-the-vaquita/

https://vivavaquita.org/resources/

https://seashepherd.org/2025/01/28/sea-shepherd-saving-the-vaquita-porpoise/