The vaquita, the smallest porpoise in the world, is in danger. It is urgent to ban fishing in Mexican seas where it still survives.
La little cow, the smallest porpoise in the world, is in danger. It is urgent to ban fishing in Mexican seas where it still survives.
It is the appeal of the WWF that it considers the vaquita as the 'panda' of the Mexican seas, that is, as the most endangered animal species of these places.
The alarm comes from the International Committee for the Recovery of Vaquita (which reports to the IUCN), according to which there are only 30 individuals in the wild.
The vaquita is threatened by accidental catches in fishing nets, which cause it to drown, being a cetacean that needs to return to the surface to breathe. In particular, the Committee for the protection of this species points the finger at illegal nets used to capture the totoaba, fish included among the critically endangered species and fished despite the bans because its swim bladder is highly sought after in Asia - given that it is considered one of the most powerful aphrodisiacs natural - and is illegally traded from Mexico to China via the United States.
We already told you about this problem some time ago: the powerful natural remedy obtained from some marine species has been nicknamed aquatic cocaine and unfortunately it is leading to extinction the vaquita and beyond.
Read also: 'AQUATIC COCAINE': THE CHINESE NATURAL REMEDY THAT IS LEADING TWO SEA SPECIES TO EXTINCTION
WWF reiterates its belief that the only way to save the vaquita from extinction is to immediately and indefinitely ban all fishing activities within its habitat. Already in 2016 we reported the vaquita among the animals at risk of extinction.
Read also: 10 ANIMALS AT RISK OF EXTINCTION IN 2016
In an attempt to save the vaquita, the Mexican government issued a ban on the use of gillnets for two years in 2015, in an area of 13 square kilometers that covers a large part of the Gulf of Northern California. The call ends next April: the WWF asks the government to extend it without deadlines, otherwise the future of the totoaba and vaquita will be sealed.
Marta Albè
Photo source: WWF
