The Vaquita Is Still Alive.

Vaquita in the northern gulf of California

The vaquita is still alive. It is still reproducing. But its future remains dangerously uncertain.

by Rick LoBello, Education Program Manager

Sometimes, when we hear about an endangered species that has been on the brink of extinction for years, we begin to wonder whether there is anything more we can do. I hope that never happens with the vaquita.

For more than a decade, the El Paso Zoo has been involved with efforts to save the vaquita, the world’s rarest marine mammal. Working in collaboration with zoos and conservation organizations, we have helped educate people about this remarkable little porpoise found nowhere else on Earth except the Upper Gulf of California in Mexico.

In 2019 we organized letter-writing campaigns encouraging people to speak up and ask the Mexican government to take stronger action. At the time over 18,000 letters were sent to the President of Mexico. Feature Photo – Boxes of letters were delivered via the Mexican Consulate here in El Paso.

Today, I am asking everyone who cares about wildlife conservation to get involved once again. The vaquita is still alive. It is still reproducing. But its future remains dangerously uncertain.

Some Encouraging News from Mexico

During the 2025 scientific survey, researchers documented between seven and ten individual vaquitas, including at least one calf. This does not mean that only seven to ten vaquitas remain. These were the animals observed within the survey area, and scientists are continuing to evaluate the population.

In May 2026, another expedition documented three brief sightings and additional acoustic evidence of vaquitas. Researchers also trained local residents to help monitor the animals. One particularly encouraging story involves a female vaquita known as Frida, who has been photographed with calves in recent years. Imagine that. Against extraordinary odds, these animals are continuing to reproduce. There is still hope.

A New Conservation Controversy

On October 14, 2026, Mexico announced new fishing regulations that reduced the area where gillnets are prohibited in the Upper Gulf of California by approximately 86%. For those of us who have spent years encouraging stronger protections, this news was deeply concerning.

Gillnets are the primary reason vaquitas have nearly disappeared. These underwater fishing nets entangle porpoises, preventing them from surfacing to breathe. Conservation organizations, including the Center for Biological Diversity, have strongly criticized the new regulations. However, some of the scientists most closely involved in vaquita conservation explain that the situation is more complicated.

In an October 30 statement, scientists Barbara Taylor and Lorenzo Rojas-Bracho emphasized that the new boundaries were developed using scientific information about where surviving vaquitas have been documented. They also pointed out that large protected areas are of little value if fishing restrictions are not enforced. That is an important distinction.

What matters most is whether every surviving vaquita can live in waters free of deadly gillnets. Scientists are particularly concerned about shallow waters northwest of the Zero Tolerance Area, where mothers and calves have been documented. They have recommended expanding physical protections into these waters, but that recommendation has not yet been implemented.

We cannot afford to wait until another vaquita dies before taking action.

Conservation Must Include Local Communities

One of the important lessons we have learned through years of conservation work is that protecting wildlife requires working with people. Fishing families in the Upper Gulf of California need opportunities to earn a living. The answer is not to abandon conservation protections, but to help develop fishing methods that do not kill vaquitas while supporting sustainable local economies. This has long been an important goal of the international zoo and aquarium conservation community.

We need stronger enforcement, better fishing technology, financial support for sustainable fisheries, and cooperation among government agencies, scientists, conservation organizations, and local communities. The survival of the vaquita and the well-being of fishing families should not be treated as competing goals.

What Can You Do Right Now?

1. Send a message to Mexico’s environmental authorities.

Write to Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT).

Email: atencion.ciudadana@semarnat.gob.mx

Ask officials to implement the recommendations of the International Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita, especially additional protection in waters northwest of the Zero Tolerance Area.

2. Contact the Mexican Embassy in Washington, D.C.

Email: mexembusa@sre.gob.mx

Ask the embassy to communicate your concerns to the Mexican government and encourage continued international cooperation to prevent the vaquita’s extinction.

3. Support the organizations working to save the vaquita.

Learn more about the ongoing conservation efforts of Sea Shepherd, the Porpoise Conservation Society, and other organizations working with scientists and local communities.

4. Share this article.

Many people have never heard of the vaquita. Education and public awareness remain essential. Share this information with friends, schools, conservation groups, zoos, aquariums, and anyone who cares about protecting endangered species.

A Simple Message You Can Send

Dear Mexican Environmental Leaders,

I am deeply concerned about the future of the critically endangered vaquita in the Upper Gulf of California.

I appreciate the efforts of Mexican scientists, conservation organizations, government agencies, and local communities working to save this species.

I respectfully urge the Mexican government to strengthen enforcement against illegal gillnet fishing, immediately implement scientific recommendations for additional protections northwest of the Zero Tolerance Area, and expand support for economically viable, vaquita-safe fishing methods.

Please ensure that the new fishing regulations provide effective protection wherever surviving vaquitas are found.

The vaquita is part of Mexico’s extraordinary natural heritage and belongs to the world.

Thank you for taking action to prevent its extinction.

Sincerely,

[Your name and city]

We Must Not Give Up

I have spent much of my life working to protect wildlife and encouraging others to do the same. One lesson I have learned is that conservation success rarely happens overnight. Sometimes it takes years, even decades, of persistence. There will always be setbacks, disagreements, and difficult decisions. But when a species is as close to extinction as the vaquita, giving up should never be an option.

The encouraging news is that scientists believe the vaquita still has the biological potential to recover if we can eliminate the threat from gillnets. Think about what that means. A species that has survived in the Gulf of California for thousands of years could still have a future.

Future generations could someday look back on this extraordinary conservation challenge as an example of what people can accomplish when they refuse to give up. Or they could ask why we allowed one of the world’s rarest marine mammals to disappear when we knew what needed to be done.

Please take five minutes today to help save the vaquita.

Learn More

Photos
Cover – Bill Gracey, Wikimedia Creative Commons
Feature – Rick LoBello
Top – NOAA Fisheries West Coast, Wikimedia Creative Commons
Middle – Lauren Packard, Wikimedia Creative Commons
Bottom – AMNH Seminar, Wikimedia Creative Commons