The vaquita must not disappear!

The most endangered whale species in the world urgently needs our help. The population has declined drastically in recent years, mainly due to illegal gillnet fishing. Now there are only 30 animals left! Support this campaign to prevent the extinction of the vaquita.

The vaquita is a porpoise species

Vaquita, California harbor porpoise (Phocoena sinus)

Order: Whales

Suborder: Toothed whales

Family: Porpoises

Length: 1.2 – 1.5 meters (at birth 70 – 80 cm)

Weight: 30-55 kg

Gestation period: 10 – 11 months

Generation time: About 10 years

Habitat: Shallow coastal waters

Distribution: Mexico, northern Gulf of California

Global population: 30 animals

IUCN red list classification: ENDANGERED

The vaquita is one of the smallest whale species with a small distribution area of ​​4000 km2 (about the same size as the province of North Holland). Vaquitas live exclusively in the northernmost part of the Gulf of California in shallow coastal waters. In this nutrient-rich area they feed on smaller fish, squid and crustaceans.

The vaquita is one of the smallest whale species with a small distribution area of ​​4000 km2 (about the same size as the province of North Holland). Vaquitas live exclusively in the northernmost part of the Gulf of California in shallow coastal waters. In this nutrient-rich area they feed on smaller fish, squid and crustaceans.

The body of the vaquita is grey, with the clear dark gray to black markings around the mouth and the dark circles around the eyes distinguishing the vaquita from other porpoise species. Also, for harbor porpoises, the vaquita has an unusually large dorsal fin. This helps the vaquita to give off copious body heat so as not to overheat.

Totoaba vs. Vaquita

Why is the smallest whale species almost extinct?

Within 20 years, the population of the vaquitas has shrunk from about 560 individuals to about 30. The main cause of this is the gillnet fishery, which kills the vaquita as bycatch year after year. Despite a ban on gillnets by the Mexican government, the vaquita population has continued to decline.

The body of the vaquita is grey, with the clear dark gray to black markings around the mouth and the dark circles around the eyes distinguishing the vaquita from other porpoise species. Also, for harbor porpoises, the vaquita has an unusually large dorsal fin. This helps the vaquita to give off copious body heat so as not to overheat.

The fishermen’s nets are not actually cast for the vaquita, but for the totoaba. The totoaba is fished for its swim bladder. In Chinese culture, this is considered a delicacy and a sign of wealth and prosperity. It is also used in Chinese medicines. On the black market, a kilogram of totoaba swim bladder can fetch up to 20,000 US dollars. This makes it even more expensive than cocaine!

Unfortunately, the vaquitas get entangled in the loopholes of the illegal nets and can no longer swim to the surface to breathe. It is feared that this whale species will soon disappear if drastic measures are not taken soon. The Mexican government is ready to do everything to protect the last vaquitas. The last and only option to prevent the extinction of the vaquita is a controlled breeding program with the remaining animals in a professionally managed, cordoned off and protected marine area.

Dolfinarium and the vaquita

There are only 7 porpoise species worldwide, of which the vaquita is one. The porpoises you see at the Dolfinarium are a different species – the common porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) – which fortunately is not threatened with extinction. However, these porpoises can contribute to the conservation of the vaquita, as they are genetically closest to the vaquita. The Dolfinarium has the most worldwide experience in keeping porpoises and shares this valuable knowledge with a partnership of several organizations (Vaquita CPR) that stands for the conservation of the vaquita.

More information about the vaquita? Then take a look here of here!

No plastic in the sea, that is our mission

During performances, through communication on park signs and on social media, we make visitors aware of the dangers in the sea. In the Dolfinarium you can discover how dolphins live in nature, but nowadays nature also entails great dangers: the animals eat plastic and regularly get entangled in plastic and fishing nets.

The consequences of plastic in nature for marine mammals:

Ingestion

Some animal species are more vulnerable than others to ingesting plastic. All that plastic can lead to them eating less because they no longer feel hungry. Or their stomach gets blocked. It is usually impossible to find out where the swallowed plastic originally came from, but sometimes it is clear. In 2012, a dead male sperm whale was found on a beach in Spain in a region where many fruits and vegetables are grown. This region also exports to our supermarkets. Of all the plastic in the cadaver, 26 pieces could be directly related to those agricultural activities. These included plastic plant pots and 30 m2 of plastic cover.

Entangle

If dolphins, or other marine mammals such as seals and whales, get caught in the sharp nylon threads of fishing nets, they risk losing their fins or tails. That’s how deep those wires can cut into the flesh! Entanglement can have all kinds of other horrific consequences, such as starvation and the development of inflammation or deformities. In all these cases, an animal becomes less vital. This means that the animal has less energy, can find less good food or has fewer offspring. And then there is the chance that due to weakening they become victims of predators looking for easy prey…

Micro and nanoplastics

The smaller the plastic particles in water, the greater the chance that multiple species of marine life will ingest or ingest them. Molluscs, such as mussels and oysters, filter seawater and ingest microplastics in the process. Shellfish are regularly on the menu of humans. If you eat fish, the chance of ingesting microplastics is small. The organs they can be in are always removed. This is not the case with shellfish. For example, eating mussels always ingests microplastics. The vast majority of this leaves the body through your faeces, but the smallest particles may still spread through the body. The possible effect of this is still largely unknown.

Chemicals

Organic toxins adhere to plastic like a magnet attracts iron. With the plastic that an animal ingests, these toxins also end up in that animal’s body. These substances can accumulate in the tissue. Pathogenic bacteria can also attach to plastic. This poses yet another danger. The germs can spread over great distances via floating plastic. As a result, animals that would otherwise never have come into contact with the germs can still become infected.

The consequences of plastic for human health

What effect do microplastics really have on our bodies? How dangerous are they exactly? What are the long-term consequences of the chemical additives in plastic production for our health? The first studies for this have started in recent years.

Important research on the waste on the beaches in the Arctic

Researchers from Wageningen University & Research are conducting research in the Arctic Marine Litter Project in the Arctic into the origin, causes and consequences of the waste produced in the Arctic.

Plastics from the Netherlands and other European countries float to the Arctic via ocean currents, where they cause problems for animals of the same kind in the Dolfinarium: porpoises, seals, walruses, whales and other animals. With that knowledge, governments and companies can much more easily determine what needs to be done to solve this problem.