Imagine the size of the city of Anchorage, Alaska. Now you have pictured how large the range of the Vaquita, Phocoena sinus, is. In a 1,400 square mile area in the Gulf of California, and only here, this timid little porpoise lives. It is dark gray on top fading to a white belly, with dark patches over its mouth and eyes. At less than 5 feet long, it is the smallest cetacean, and, with only around 200 individuals left in the world, the rarest marine mammal. This porpoise is literally on the brink of extinction. Never has a single one survived in captivity, so it is imperative that we preserve its natural habitat. The reason it is so endangered is because of its entanglement in gillnets that are set out for fish and shrimp. Since fishing is one of the biggest industries in northern Mexico, we cannot simply ask fishermen to remove all of their nets. We need donations so we can give each of the fisherman about $5,000 a year in exchange for him or her not fishing there or to give them Vaquita-safe gear. There are many scientists, biologists, activists, politicians, and even kids like me who are trying to help raise money for this, research, and education. I ask you to support Mexico’s conservation efforts of this animal. Please visit www.vivavaquita.org to get all the information you will need. I hope you will be captured and moved to action by the beauty and plight of this animal. I have only told you the beginning of the Vaquita’s story. There are many efforts to help save this species, but V-log is one of the few if any in the eastern part of the United States. It is very important that you subcribe to and check this blog weekly, tell all your friends, and post it on Facebook or Twitter. Please leave any replies or questions in the comment section below. Thank you.
A Vaquita slips through the surface.
I really enjoy your vaquita blog and am glad that you are reaching out to the Eastern U.S. Thank you for bringing the plight of this little endangered porpoise to the attention of many who are unaware of its existence. Viva Vaquita!
Thanks! It is really cool that someone from the ACSMBC heard about my blog! Thank you for all of the nice things you said, and I would appreciate it extremely if you notified some of your fellow marine biologists about the blog!
You’re words are very real, and your poems paint a perfect picture. I appreciate your facts about the Vaquita, they are important to your growing audience. I look forward to future poems, facts, and posts
Thanks! I appreciate you taking the time to check out my blog! If you want, you can click the follow button and receive all new posts by email.
I would like to thank you for this blog and for your devotion to this wonderful animal in desperate need of our help. You fill me with hope that with youth like you our planet is truly in good hands. Are you really only 11 years old? Not only are you a bright scientist, but also a gifted writer and poet. I sincerely look forward to reading your poems every Thursday. Thank you and keep up the excellent work!
Thank you so much for your kind words Mr. Wayne! I really appreciate you checking out my blog and, yes, I am 11
I hope to persuade, inform, and entertain you with my future poems! Thanks, Goldenliontamarin.
Thank you SO very much for publishing this site and advocating for the vaquita.
Dida Kutz
Team VivaVaquita
http://www.vivavaquita.org
http://www.facebook.com/vivavaquita
No problem. Again, I am honored to have Vivavaquita members visiting my site! Thanks, GLT
this is what we need today, a heightened awareness to the preservation of these endangered species. i think that vaquitas are unique and that they deserve protection and awareness on our level. thanks for this wonderful blog and double thanks for following our blog too: http://makeeatsimple.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/eco-houses-solution-to-waste-and-conservation/
Thanks! Vaquita are extremely unique, and they deserve all the protection in the world!