New vaquita book!

Brooke Bessesen’s book, Vaquita: Science, Politics, and Crime in the Sea of Cortez, is now available to order!

This non-fiction account of the entire history of the vaquita and its conservation has been many years in the making. Vaquita expertly weaves between every side of this gripping real-life environmental thriller that I have been lucky enough to be a part of for these past eight years or so. It is wonderful to see it all down on the page, and I am also fortunate enough to have been mentioned in the book. Bessesen writes with an expert hand, and I cannot wait to finish reading my copy. This is a must-have for anyone interested in environmental issues, and it could not have come at a more pressing time.

Order your copy now, and use the discount code 4VAQUITA to get 20% off!

https://islandpress.org/books/vaquita

Vaquita Book

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Times have changed

I remember when I was a little boy
first learning about the Vaquita.
I was filled with wonder and determination…
Determination to keep them on this planet.
I donated my Christmas money;
I didn’t get souvenirs when the rest of my family did,
so I could donate even more.
I told everyone I knew,
and told them to do the same.
I even started a Vaquita club at my school to raise money.
I emailed the experts as often as I could,
and read every book and website with the word, “Vaquita.”
I don’t exactly remember what I thought was going to happen to the species,
but I know what I wanted to happen.
That was around the time Chris Johnson’s movie came out,
and I loved it.
But I was also scared…
Scared we might lose the Vaquita forever.
Thinking back upon these things,
I wasn’t doing very much.
But I loved doing it.
Then came V-log.
I still remember coming up with the name,
“A vlog is a video-blog, and Vaquita starts with V, so it could be a Vaquita-blog!”
I was 11 at the time, so I wasn’t the best with websites.
My first post was,
“Vaquita is Spanish for ‘little cow.'”
I became obsessed with learning and writing about the Vaquita,
so I started a book on it.
When I finished writing the book,
I kind of stopped for a little while.
But then my passion was rekindled by art.
I learned that I love to draw, especially Vaquitas.
I began illustrating my book.
And then, on one fateful March morning,
I received a comment.
It was from William Whittenbury.
He told me all about his club,
The Muskwa Club.
My life changed dramatically on that day.
Together, we have accomplished so much.
Videos, tables, my book’s publishing,
and National Save the Vaquita Day.
This event coincided with the Official Norm law,
and this summer was one of utter awesomeness for the Vaquita,
and me.
I am learning the ways of a businessman, conservationist, and artist.
Or some combination of the three…
Muskwa and I may be getting some pretty crazy ideas,
but hey, they are working.

And there has never been a more exciting time in the world of the Vaquita.

Why?

You might ask, “Why do I help the Vaquita?”

And my answer is, “Why wouldn’t I?”

I cannot force myself to think of a world without Vaquita.

They have helped shape much of my young life, from the early online research to now.

They have inspired me to do things I never thought were possible—or had the courage to do.

They have given me the confidence to stand up and make a difference in this dying world.

They have presented me with endless ideas for poems, books, and artwork.

They have saved me with the knowledge that I am saving them, and they still have a chance.

The Vaquita has given me so much, and now it is my turn to give back to them.

I know the day the Vaquita dies will make me want to do the same.

It is this fear of loss that has pushed me for years to make a change.

And you may ask, “Why save the Vaquita?”

And my answer will always be, “Why not?”

Book

About a month ago I started the rough draft of something I’ve been thinking about for a long time: a Vaquita book. There are no books about the Vaquita in the entire world! I love writing stories in my free time, so I thought it would be a perfect idea to write the world’s first Vaquita book. The book is a non-fiction children’s book, but adults should find it very informative as well. I am getting my information from various internet and book sources (I will obviously give them credit). I will give Vaquita experts my rough draft so they can make sure all of the information is 100% accurate. One of my friends from tennis knows a publisher, so hopefully he will be able to work with it! I will post updates on this topic whenever they are needed.