The Gulf of Mexico porpoise is in a critical state of conservation, however the marine mammal may not go extinct according to recent scientific research data. In the world, however, there are still 10 specimens of Phocoena sinus confined to their microhabitat
He is about to end up run over, his mother saves him
The vaquita Phocoena sinus or Gulf of California porpoise is the smallest marine mammal in the world, but it is also a highly endangered species. It is no coincidence that the vaquita has been nicknamed "sea panda".
Already in 2019 they were counted only 10 specimens in Mexico, 12 fewer than in 2018. Researchers around the world feared that this cetacean would disappear in a short time, perhaps within a year, despite the conservation efforts of the species by many international NGOs, including Sea Shepherd.
The main cause of the decline in vaquita populations are illegal gillnets launched by fishermen in the habitat of porpoises. Every year even rays, sharks, fish and sea turtles end up trapped in them, struggling in vain.
Although Mexico has banned this type of nets in the reserve where the last vaquitas in the world swim, the illegal practice has by no means disappeared. Concern for this marine mammal therefore remains high.
A recent study published in the journal Science did however rekindled the hopes of saving this species from the brink of extinction at the last minute. Researchers Barbara Taylor and Lorenzo Rojas-Bracho had previously studied the inbreeding of porpoises and their genetics to rule out other causes of their decline such as, for example, inbreeding depression.
Between 1985 and 2017, experts took tissue samples from marine mammals. These samples were examined by an international team of marine biologists who analyzed the sequence of the vaquitas genome. Laboratory simulations confirmed that vaquita can recover genetically, if illegal fishing is stopped.
“If we allow these animals to survive, they will do the rest. Genetically they still retain the same diversity that made them thrive for hundreds of thousands of years, until the arrival of the gillnets ”.
said Jacqueline Robinson, co-author of the study.
Throughout history, the vaquita population has always been quite small. It is in the past 50 years that the number of specimens has plummeted. However, genetics suggests that the recovery of the species is more than possible if the human being also does his part.
Fonte: Science
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