#vaquitas

[losdibujitos]

Two-headed calf 🐮🐮

[rjzimmerman]

Newly Spotted Vaquita Babies Offer Glimmer Of Hope For World's Rarest Marine Mammal

There's a long road ahead before the species is back from the brink, but a new population survey provides fresh optimism.

This story from IFL Science:

It’s good news for the smallest and most endangered cetacean of them all, as a recent survey confirmed sightings of between 7 and 10 vaquitas – and the birth of new calves.

It was only two years ago that the vaquita became the subject of the International Whaling Commission’s first-ever extinction alert, after years of widespread gillnet use and accidental bycatch in the northern region of the Gulf of California in Mexico – where vaquitas live exclusively – led to a decline in the population from 560 in 1997 to just 10 in 2018.

While efforts such as a ban on the use of gillnets and zero-tolerance areas for illegal fishing have been put into place, conservationists have also been keeping a close eye on the remaining members of the population with yearly surveys. That’s easier said than done; vaquitas are small, inconspicuous, and notoriously shy, known to avoid boats with active engines.

The new survey combatted that by combining acoustic monitoring with underwater detectors, and visual monitoring aboard vessels equipped with “Big Eyes” Binoculars, capable of spotting vaquitas from far in the distance so as to avoid the boats disturbing them.

Carried out between May and September of this year by various government agencies, groups including Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, and local residents, the survey results suggest that conservation efforts are going to plan. As well as confirming sightings of seven to 10 vaquitas – an improvement on last year’s survey – experts spotted at least one or two calves, a success after no newborns were spotted in 2024.

It’s far from a sign that this critically endangered species is out of the woods, but the results do provide a glimmer of hope that it’s possible to bring vaquitas back from the brink of extinction, whilst also informing conservationists on how best to direct efforts to do so.

“This monitoring allows us to adjust our work strategy, to reinforce actions in precise areas in order to achieve greater vigilance and protection,” said Mexico’s Undersecretary of Biodiversity and Environmental Restoration, Marina Robles García, in a statement.

 “But it also tells us several things: that the vaquita is still there, that it persists, that the downward trend has not continued, that there are even individuals we had not seen for several years—clearly spending time in other areas where we have not been monitoring—and that it continues to reproduce.”

“The fact that a species continues to reproduce and appears healthy is the best indicator of its life, of its condition as a species, but also the best invitation to maintain our efforts, our hope, and our joint work.”

[cotardkindrome1999]

Silly Game Time: Welcome to the Randomocracy, a society where we assign people to be the caretakers of randomly selected animals!

First, use a random *letter* generator to get a letter. Second, use a random *number* generator to get a number between 1 and 10. Finally, look up "animals that start with [your letter]", and go down the list until you get to the option corresponding with your number. CONGRATULATIONS! You are now responsible for ensuring this animal's well-being? What is it (post a picture), and on a scale of 1 to 10, how much is this going to impact your life?

(I got E and 1, which means I'm now the proud guardian of an Elephant! This is kinda awesome ... but also gonna ruin me financially.)

V and 5... I got a vaquita!

Oh this is so bad for me, I don't know crap about vaquitas. I'd say a 9? Kinda cute animals, though

[losdibujitos]

Vaquitas 🐮💛🐮

[orcinus-veterinarius]

Honestly if they actually did ok in captivity i think catching every single vaquita would be justifiable. Much like what was done with California condors and black footed ferrets. Although illegal fishing is a lot harder to handle than just giving every released individual a distemper vaccine.

I agree. Once a sufficient number were propagated in captivity, they could be reintroduced to the wild while maintaining a “backup” population in human care, like with red wolves and the species you mentioned! But unfortunately it’s not to be 😔

Hate those gill nets. Awful things.

[orcinus-veterinarius]

I’m guessing orphaned dolphins fall under the ill or danger to themselves category, and then they’re unlikely to be releasable because the social stuff is too complicated for release.

Also too bad dolphins doing well in captivity doesn’t extend to some of their actually endangered cousins like vaquitas. Unless the facility that tried to keep a pregnant one wasn’t actually good.

You’re correct. Orphaned calves lack the survival skills that would normally be taught to them by their mothers, and become strongly habituated to humans due to the intense hands-on care they require. While some small* cetaceans (like harbor porpoises) are much less social and can sometimes be released even if rescued as calves, dolphin species definitely cannot!

Vaquitas are definitely a case where I agree efforts to collect individuals for captive breeding were completely justified. Unfortunately, the cute little porpoises are incredibly “stressy,” and attempts to capture a pair for breeding resulted in one of the animals dying from stress. The other was released. Because they are so critically endangered, no more attempts have been made so as not to risk the death of another animal.

*Or very large! While mysticetes are exceedingly rare in rehab settings, they’re not quite as dependent on their dams to learn proper whale behavior as their smaller toothed cousins and can theoretically be released. Gray whale J.J. was famously returned to the wild following months of rehab after stranding as a calf, although unfortunately we do not know what became of her.

[losdibujitos]

Una vaquita 🐮🖤

[fleebites]

just finished sewing this on! tbh, i was pretty jazzed about making the patches because i wanted one for myself, to add to my vintage punkyfish jacket :3

vaquita fundraiser ends TOMORROW at 17.00/5pm EST!

get your patches (and more!) here:

http://fleebites.storenvy.com