JOIN SOL COMMUNICATIONS’ MISSION TO PROTECT THE LAST VAQUITA.
The Vaquita porpoise (Phocoena 
sinus) swims on the very edge of extinction, as early as 2018 or sooner. The unquestionablly unique and brilliant species lives ONLY in the northern part of the Gulf of California (Enlarge MAP to DETAIL). They are considered the smallest and most endangered cetacean in the world. It is a race against time. The Vaquita population has dropped from a year or two ago when 80-100 individuals were believed to be alive. Now in the very small geographical area where they exist, reports are bleak and as low as 30 may be alive. However, even getting a photograph of one took weeks (months?) for Sea SHepherd who maint
ains a position of guard with two boats. The Mexican government has declared official commitment to protecting the Vaquita. in April 2015, the Mexican government enacted a two year ban on the use of gillnets in a 13,000 square kilometer area covering the entire northern part of the Gulf of California. But efforts by the government, including a 70 million dollar program that includes the Mexican navy, is not working. The Vaquita are becoming entangled in Illegal gill nets set by fisherman of the Tobago, also an internationally recognized endangered species. The nets are illegal and those species are the most seriously in need of global protection and on those points all gill nets found can be confiscated.
Members and friends of SOL have experience and talents that can come together and join the actual on-the-sea protection by maintaining a wind driven vessel (yes, a sailboat) and crew in the Vaquita’s territory. Funds are being raised and proposals being accepted and discussed to make this real and fast. The mission will be to hunt and confiscate gill nets, engage with immediate human threats in Vaquita waters, and assist any other groups or invidicuals carrying out the same mission. Please Help. THough funds are being raised, a shortcut to making water would be to have an incredible donation….the boat. Although a little smaller would work, Forty Feet or larger has been calculated to give us the room neccessary for supplies, water and mission gear. We hope to begin regular shifts soon. • The Maui and Hectors Dolphins in New Zealand waters may be closely or equally threatened with extinction.
Vaquitas live in the smallest territory of any marine cetacean, being only in the northern end of the Gulf of California. The Mexican government created the Upper Gulf of California Biosphere Reserve in 1993 in part to protect vaquita habitat. Unfortunately protection up to this moment, has failed.
Related Articles
Conservation groups call for more efforts to save vaquita (CCCTV)
The Fight to Save the Vaquita (National Geographic)
Mexico’s Gill Net Ban Set to Expire (with video)
The Last Vaquitas (60 minutes)
Sea Shepherd Assists Mexican Navy By Hunting Gill Nets
OFF SITE VIDEOS
Vaquita Description, Location and Circumstances
Losing the Baiji (China) and Now the Vaquita
Vaquita Rescue (A child’s plea and production)
An Encounter With Vaquita