Mexican government makes last ditch effort to save world’s smallest porpoise

The vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is a rare species of porpoise found only in a small area of the northern Gulf of California. They are the smallest of the porpoises, measuring only 56 inches for the largest specimens. They are also believed to be the most endangered of all marine mammal species. Fewer than 100 of the animals are currently believed to exist in the wild.

Now, the Mexican government has committed to make a last ditch effort to save the tiny porpoise for extinction.

In order to save the species, officials have to overcome two significant obstacles. The first is legal fishing and the potential impact on the livelihood of thousands of families in the region. The second is illegal poaching of another endangered species, the totoaba, which is believed to have medicinal properties in China.

For the next two years, gillnets will be banned in a 5,000 square mile area of the gulf. The vaquitas frequently get tangled in the nets and die before they are found. At the same time the government has committed $72 million to compensating local fishermen for the lost income.

The hope is that by the time the two year ban is over, that better vaquita-safe nets will be available. Fishermen complain that the current “safe” nets are inadequate and do not allow them to earn an income.

The other problem facing officials will be even more difficult to solve. The swim bladder of the endangered totoaba is cooked in soup in China and can bring $10,000 a kilogram on the black market. The trade in totoaba bladders is controlled by organized crime and because it is already illegal there isn’t much the government can do except attempt to step up enforcement.

The Mexican government has announced that its navy will work with fishing officials and environmental groups to help patrol the area in an effort to enforce both the Totoaba fishing ban as well as the temporary ban on gillnets.

Omar Vidal, director of the World Wildlife Fund Mexico sounded cautiously optimistic.

“I really think that this is the last chance, and we had better get our act together. I think the government is very serious,” Vidal told the New York Times, while still pointing out that two decades of efforts to safe the vaquita had slowed the decline in the animals population, but had not halted it.

The website vaquita.tv brings together a number of groups, scientists and activists working to save the species including the World Wildlife Fund, the NOAA, the Ocean Foundation, Earth Ocean and others.

Among the many resources available on the website is a full length documentary on the species and educational materials. For those who want to follow the efforts to bring ‘the desert porpoise’ back from the brink, the site will have regular news updates.

Be social, please share!

Facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Comments

  1. says

    I tend not to leave a response, but after reading through a few
    of the comments on this page Mexican government makes last ditch
    effort to save world’s smallest porpoise. I actually
    do have some questions for you if you do not mind. Could it be
    just me or do some of these remarks come across as if they are left by brain dead folks?
    😛 And, if you are posting at additional online sites, I would like to keep up
    with you. Could you list of every one of all your social networking sites like your twitter
    feed, Facebook page or linkedin profile?

  2. says

    Wow, wonderful weblog layout! How long have you been running a blog
    for? you make running a blog look easy. The full look of
    your site is fantastic, as smartly as the content!

  3. says

    Humana People to People creates their task to enhance under-developed areas by way of providing coaching to primary school teachers and artisans, helping to encourage well being and generate knowledge
    of Aids as well as to assistance with additional rising areas farming.
    Humana People to People assumes a wide range of various developments and missions across poor areas of nations throughout
    the globe. By employing the local men and women along with
    government, capable to aid folks who are in need of help thru their non-profit aid institutions.
    China is one kind of a number of countries this non-profit institution comes
    to come across the urgent problems that they encounter today.

    The Humana People to People Activity works jointly with The Federation for Groups within the
    Yunnan province of China. The job first started within 2005
    and remains over currently. The Humana People to
    People Association Project Agency from the Yunnan Province works
    to raise capital in an effort to achieve diverse projects throughout the area around poor
    places. Some plans which Humana People to People attempts to take to the current area
    of China consist of trade schools in which
    there’re able to greater their education, planning them to get work, providing information about infected sicknesses and even more.

  4. says

    Thanks so much pertaining to giving my family an update on this issue on your
    site. Please realize that if a brand new post appears or in case any adjustments occur with
    the current submission, I would be thinking about reading a lot
    more and learning how to make good using of those approaches you talk about.

    Thanks for your time and consideration of people by making this website available.

  5. says

    Nintendo is a multinational business based in Kyoto, Japan. A situation research study of Nintendo that covers, SWOT,
    Concierge’s 5 Pressures, Outside and inner Settings, Current Financial State, Problems,
    Suggestions, and also Background of the company.V. Nintendo acquired a film studio.

    When the NES was formally launched, Nintendo likewise launched R.O.B.
    The Famicom and NES were later revamped as the AV Famicom and New
    NES. Ways to use 3DS Card in nintendo 3DS? Unlike Online Boy’s ludicrous helmet, the 3DS
    needs no special “equipment.” Individuals video game in 3D without the 3D glasses.
    It was bundled with the video game Tetris and also it also has come to be a standard of gaming quickly after
    its release. In the mid-2000s, it ultimately did by launching ready Nintendo systems, beginning with
    Sonic Advancement. However a year later, Nintendo has actually barely tapped these functions.
    That’s a high order, considereding as the Wii marketed about 100
    million equipment systems and also 900 million games.
    The 2DS has an SD card viewers that provides hassle-free storage space for
    conserved games or custom Miis. Individuals enjoy sporting
    and spend excellent amount of time with any type of
    sort of video games. Typically, vendors online just accept repayments through PayPal which is
    in fact an excellent point for you as you’ll be eligible for purchaser security and PayPal’s conflict resolution plus the security.

  6. says

    Europas zur Therapie vonseiten Kriegsverletzten
    seitens Deutsche Mark Chirurgen Eiselsberg (1860–1939) mit
    solcher Gunstbezeigung seines Schülers Johann Pichler gegründet
    (Schweppe 1993).
    In Berlin zitierte solcher Zahnarzt Hugo Ganzer
    (1879–1960) Paracelsus im Geleitwort seines
    Buches
    Die Kriegsverletzungen des Gesichts nicht zuletzt Gesichtsschädels
    (1945): „Denn der Arzt, welcher da heylet,
    ist Chip Natur, jede Wunde heylet von selbst, so
    diese aber blitzsauber ebenso wie unbefleckt bewahren wird“.
    Der DEM
    Zitat folgende Liedtext wird reichhaltig wiedergegeben,
    da er die außerordentliche Gemütsart
    seitens Ganzer überaus akzentuiert (in einem Streit) vermitteln kann.
    Er
    schrieb, in die Sankt-Nimmerleins-Tag welcher Plastischen Wiederherstellungschirurgie
    unserer Uhrzeit weisend:
    » Im Erster Monat des Jahres 1915 erhielt ich auf Grund der Tatsache dasjenige Sanitätsamt
    des Gardekorps seitens dem Sanitäts-
    Departement des Preußischen Kriegsministeriums
    den Direktive im Reservelazarett
    Akademie zum Vorteil von die bildenden Künste zu
    Charlottenburg eine Kieferchirurgische
    Station einzurichten. Dasjenige Militärhospital erschien
    mir bzgl. seiner Lage, seiner Räumlichkeiten
    u. a. nicht letzten Endes dank seines Gartens
    als rar gesät angemessen bei diesen Ziel. Chip
    Verletzungen des Gesichts sind geraume Zeit dauernd
    neben benötigen Beleuchtung ebenso Handlungsspielraum.

    Dessen ungeachtet jener
    übrige Körper jener Gesichtsverletzten häufig
    vollwertig ist, ebendiese Verwundeten dementsprechend bevorstehend
    in
    den Stand gesetzt Zustandekommen können, sich professionell
    zu tätig sein – und gerade hinaus diesem
    Sparte spielt Chip Arbeitstherapie eine große
    Aufgabe als Heilfaktor –, verpflichtet sein Chip Verwundeten
    einen lieber einfachen Gasse zu
    ihrer Arbeitsort haben, damit Arbeit außerdem
    Lazarettbehandlung synchron zu ihrem
    Rechte Befriedigung Geübtheit … Jenes Militärhospital
    erhielt eine gewissen Umwandlung mit die
    Mechanismus jener kieferchirurgischen Station
    auch solcher Nasenstation, so dass Gegenwart eine
    chirurgische, eine innere, eine Hals-, Nasen-,
    Ohren- noch dazu eine kieferchirurgische Entwicklungsstadium
    parallel bestanden mehr noch gegenseitig in der
    Anstellung gegenseitig vorbildhaft unterstützten.

  7. says

    The Bologna University was the model university whic severed as medieval
    during those days. This gives them time for you to develop professional experience they can practically affect education at the graduate degree level.
    But once it is donee they’re assures they’ll get the top and greatest paying
    jobs inside law courts.

  8. says

    This clothing item is actually a one-piece fabric converted to a dress-up costume that may
    fitt babies of countless sizes. While some people do buy in massive quantities for businesses in tnis manner, you need too know single
    families coul also benefit. While each wedding
    ring and diamond arring set loos unique, in all probability these items were
    produced in higher quantities and sold by thhe wholesale distributor.

  9. says

    If everything feeels great, you cann select the particular color and design you like.
    The Mojari arre presently used by women and men of any age, teenagers use iit very
    frequently. Check the quality of the webste tis goes
    time for reputation, would yoou can choose from off a poo
    quality site.

  10. says

    Purchasing clothing for children can even be more difficult in a few situations.
    One with the problems that most women hage with plus size fashions is because they in many cases are very expensive.
    It is really a wise decision for girls tto possess an thought of the design and sthle and hue of dress tthat they are looking for in advance of time.

Leave a Reply to Humana People to People Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *