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Vaquita Profile

Source: Dimensions.com

“Even in the quietest waters, let your spirit swim strong against the tide.”

Estimated Population: 7 - 10 individuals (2025)

✦ A.I-Generated Summary ▼

The vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is the world’s smallest and rarest marine mammal, found only in the northern Gulf of California. With its dark eye patches and gentle presence, this shy porpoise is a symbol of both ocean biodiversity and urgent conservation. Though rarely seen, the vaquita plays a quiet but important role in maintaining the balance of its coastal ecosystem.

Key Points:

Diet & Lifestyle: Carnivorous and bottom-feeding, vaquitas hunt small fish such as croakers and grunts, along with squid and crustaceans. Using high-frequency echolocation clicks, they navigate and forage efficiently in murky, shallow waters where visibility is low.
Reproduction: Vaquitas give birth to a single calf after a gestation period of about 10–11 months. With calving likely occurring every 1–2 years, their slow reproductive rate makes population recovery extremely challenging. Mothers provide close protection and nourishment to their young.
Physical Traits & Adaptations: Measuring 1.2–1.5 meters and weighing 30–55 kg, vaquitas are compact and robust. Their tall, triangular dorsal fin aids stability and heat regulation in warm coastal waters. Distinct dark rings around their eyes and mouth patches give them a uniquely recognizable appearance.
Behavior & Social Structure: Naturally shy and elusive, vaquitas are usually solitary or seen in pairs, occasionally forming small groups of up to six. They surface quietly and briefly, avoiding boats and human disturbance. Fun fact: the name “vaquita” means “little cow” in Spanish.
Role in the Ecosystem: As small apex predators in their habitat, vaquitas help regulate fish and squid populations, contributing to a balanced and healthy marine food web in the northern Gulf.
Threats & Conservation: Classified as Critically Endangered, vaquitas face extreme risk due to accidental entanglement in illegal gillnets set for totoaba. Despite international protection efforts, ongoing illegal fishing continues to threaten their continued survival. Help Protect The Vaquita.

Final Note:
The vaquita may be small and seldom seen, but its importance is immense. Protecting this gentle porpoise means safeguarding an entire marine ecosystem—and acting swiftly to ensure that the quiet waters of the Gulf do not fall silent forever.

VAQUITA VITAL SIGNS BAR,

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37. Vaquita Profile

Common Name: Vaquita
Scientific Name: Phocoena sinus
Genus: Phocoena
Family: Phocoenidae
Order: Cetacea
Class: Mammalia
Phylum: Chordata
Conservation Status: Critically Endangered (IUCN)

Physical Description

Vaquitas are the smallest and most endangered marine mammals in the world. They have a compact, robust body with a rounded head and no distinct beak. Their coloration is light gray to dark gray on the back, fading to pale gray or white underneath. Distinctive dark rings surround their eyes, and dark patches mark their lips.

Length: 1.2 – 1.5 m
Weight: 30 – 55 kg

Their tall, triangular dorsal fin helps with stability and thermoregulation in warm waters.

Habitat

Vaquitas are found only in the northern part of the Gulf of California, making them endemic to a very small geographic range.

Primary habitat: Shallow, murky coastal waters
Depth range: Typically less than 50 meters

They prefer turbid waters where nutrients are rich and fish populations are abundant.

Speed & Agility

Vaquitas are generally shy and slow-moving, avoiding boats and human activity.

Swimming speed: Estimated up to 25 km/h (short bursts)
Maneuverability: Agile in shallow coastal waters

They usually surface quietly and briefly, making them difficult to observe in the wild.

Diet

Vaquitas are carnivorous marine predators that feed near the seafloor.

Primary food: Small fish, croakers, grunts
Occasional food: Squid and crustaceans

They use echolocation to detect prey in murky water, emitting high-frequency clicks to navigate and hunt.

Behavior and Social Structure

Vaquitas are typically solitary or found in pairs, though small groups of up to 6 individuals have been observed.

Social structure: Solitary or small groups
Behavior: Shy, elusive, avoids boats

Fun Fact: Vaquitas have the smallest geographic range of any marine mammal species in the world.

Reproduction

Vaquitas reproduce slowly, which makes population recovery extremely difficult.

Calves per birth: 1
Gestation: ~10–11 months
Calving interval: Likely every 1–2 years

Calves stay close to their mothers for protection and nourishment.

Did You Know?

“Little Cow” Meaning: “Vaquita” means “little cow” in Spanish.
Echolocation Experts: They use high-frequency sonar clicks to hunt in cloudy water.
Rarest Marine Mammal: Fewer than a few dozen individuals are believed to remain.
Endemic Species: They live only in one small region of Mexico.

Role in the Ecosystem

Vaquitas help maintain balance in coastal marine ecosystems by regulating fish and squid populations. As top small predators, they contribute to a healthy food web in the northern Gulf.

Why They're At Risk

Vaquitas are critically endangered due to accidental entanglement in illegal gillnets used to catch the totoaba fish. Despite protection efforts by the Mexican government and international organizations, illegal fishing continues to threaten their survival. Without strict enforcement and habitat protection, extinction remains an immediate risk.

Interested in more marine animals? Check out the Great White Shark profile!