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The vaquita (/ v ə ˈ k iː t ə / və-KEE-tə; Phocoena sinus) is a species of porpoise endemic to the northern end of the Gulf of California in Baja California, Mexico. Reaching a maximum body length of 150 cm (4.9 ft) (females) or 140 cm (4.6 ft) (males), it is the smallest of all living cetaceans .
A vaquita swimming in the Gulf of California. Porpoises are highly affected by bycatch. Many porpoises, mainly the vaquita, are subject to great mortality due to gillnetting. Although it is the world's most endangered marine cetacean, the vaquita continues to be caught in small-mesh gillnet fisheries throughout much of its range.
Also, fewer than ten pilot whales, Amazon river dolphins, Risso's dolphins, spinner dolphins, or tucuxi are in captivity. Two unusual and very rare hybrid dolphins, known as wolphins , are kept at the Sea Life Park in Hawaii , which is a cross between a bottlenose dolphin and a false killer whale.
The International Whaling Commission released its first ever extinction alert to raise awareness surrounding the decreasing vaquita porpoise population.
The family Balaenidae, the right whales, contains two genera and four species. All right whales have no ventral grooves; a distinctive head shape with a strongly arched, narrow rostrum, bowed lower jaw; lower lips that enfold the sides and front of the rostrum; and long, narrow, elastic baleen plates (up to nine times longer than wide) with fine baleen fringes.
The critically endangered vaquita, the world's smallest porpoise and native to Mexico's Gulf of California, has been imperiled by illegal gill net fishing for an endangered fish called the totoaba ...
Vaquita: northern area of the Gulf of California, or Sea of Cortez Phocoena spinipinnis: Burmeister's porpoise: coast of South America References
Related: World Wildlife Fund Shares Cool and Little-Known Fact About Dolphins. Interesting Dolphin Facts. While researchers are working to learn more about the dolphin they found, there are some ...