Context: The first extinction alert on the vaquita porpoise was issued recently by the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

• Only 10 individuals of Vaquita Porpoise are surviving in the Gulf of California or the Sea of Cortez in Mexico. 

About Extinction Alert

• It is needed to voice extinction concerns for an increasing range of cetacean species and populations.

• It would encourage wider recognition of the warning signs of impending extinctions.

• It would generate support and encouragement at every level for the actions to save the vaquita.

About Vaquita Porpoise

• Vaquita is the world's rarest marine mammal, and on the edge of extinction.

• It belongs to a family of cetaceans—whales, dolphins, and porpoises.

• It is found in the northernmost part of the Gulf of California, Mexico.

• The vaquita has a large dark ring around its eyes and patches on its lips forming a thin line from the mouth to the pectoral fins.

• The dorsal (top) surface is dark gray, and ventral (underside) surface is white with long, light gray markings.

Habitat

• It is restricted to a small portion of the upper Gulf of California (also called the Sea of Cortez).

Population

• The numbers have fallen from a population of approximately 570 in 1997 to around 10 animals in 2018.

Threats

• The vaquita is caught as bycatch in gillnets meant for totoaba- the swim bladders of this fish are prized in Chinese cuisine.

• An illegal, international trade in totoaba fish has complicated efforts to end gillnet fishing.

• The solution is to replace gillnets with safe alternatives in the habitat.

Conservation Status

• IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered.

• CITES: Appendix I

Conservation Efforts

• The number of vaquita has remained fairly constant due to increased enforcement of gillnet bans and removal of nets.

• Despite the very low number of surviving animals, 100% enforcement of a ban on gillnets in their core habitat would still give a chance of recovery.

• There is a need for early and multi-disciplinary actions beyond the immediate conservation concern to address wider factors.

About International Whaling Commission

• The IWC was established in 1946 as the global body for management of whaling and conservation of whales.

• It works in five main areas: Science, Conservation, Aboriginal Subsistence Whaling, Whale Killing & Welfare Issues, Infractions, and Finance & Administration Committee.

• It also includes bycatch & entanglement, ship strikes, ocean noise, pollution and debris, and sustainable whale watching.

• The legal framework of the IWC is based on the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling.

• It recognizes three different types of whaling: commercial, aboriginal subsistence and special permit (scientific) whaling.