Vaquita

Vaquita facts at a glance

How big is a vaquita?

An adult vaquita measures 1.5 m long — about 87% of the height of an average adult person (1.73 m) — and weighs around 50 kg, about 71% of an average adult’s body weight (70 kg).

What is a group of vaquitas called?

Explore more animal collective nouns and baby animal names .

The smallest porpoise

The vaquita is the tiniest member of the porpoise family, reaching only about 1.5 m (5 ft). Dark patches around the eyes and a dark line from the mouth give it a distinctive, almost smiling face. It is shy, surfaces briefly, and avoids boats, so it is rarely seen.

A tiny, shrinking range

Vaquitas live in just one place on Earth: the shallow, murky waters at the northern end of the Gulf of California, between Baja California and mainland Mexico. No other marine mammal has such a small natural range.

On the edge of extinction

The vaquita is the most endangered marine mammal in the world. Surveys suggest only around ten individuals may remain. The main threat is drowning in illegal gillnets set for fish and especially for the totoaba, whose swim bladder is trafficked for high prices.

A race to save them

Conservationists, the Mexican government, and international groups are working to remove gillnets and patrol the vaquita's last refuge. Encouragingly, the surviving vaquitas still appear healthy and are reproducing, so removing nets from their habitat offers a slim but real chance of recovery.

Did you know? Vaquita facts

• The vaquita is the world's smallest and most endangered porpoise, found only in the northern Gulf of California in Mexico.
• Recent surveys suggest only around ten vaquitas remain, making it the most endangered marine mammal in the world.
• Vaquitas live only in the shallow northern end of the Gulf of California in Mexico, the smallest range of any marine mammal.
• Vaquitas drown in illegal gillnets, especially those set for the totoaba fish, whose swim bladder is trafficked. Bycatch in these nets is the single biggest threat.
• Vaquitas are carnivores that feed on small fish, squid, and crustaceans in the shallow waters of the upper Gulf of California.
• Conservation: Critically Endangered (IUCN).

Diet & feeding

Vaquita feeds primarily as a carnivore (fish and squid). The vaquita is the most endangered marine mammal in the world. Surveys suggest only around ten individuals may remain. The main threat is drowning in illegal gillnets set for fish and especially for the totoaba, whose swim bladder is trafficked for high prices.

Adaptations

• The vaquita is the tiniest member of the porpoise family, reaching only about 1.5 m (5 ft). Dark patches around the eyes and a dark line from the mouth give it a distinctive, almost smiling face. It is shy, surfaces briefly, and avoids boats, so it is rarely seen.
• Vaquitas live in just one place on Earth: the shallow, murky waters at the northern end of the Gulf of California, between Baja California and mainland Mexico. No other marine mammal has such a small natural range.

Behaviour & ecology

• The vaquita is the tiniest member of the porpoise family, reaching only about 1.5 m (5 ft). Dark patches around the eyes and a dark line from the mouth give it a distinctive, almost smiling face. It is shy, surfaces briefly, and avoids boats, so it is rarely seen.
• Vaquitas live in just one place on Earth: the shallow, murky waters at the northern end of the Gulf of California, between Baja California and mainland Mexico. No other marine mammal has such a small natural range.
• The vaquita is the most endangered marine mammal in the world. Surveys suggest only around ten individuals may remain. The main threat is drowning in illegal gillnets set for fish and especially for the totoaba, whose swim bladder is trafficked for high prices.

Communication

• Vaquita uses scent, posture, and vocal signals to mark territory and coordinate social behaviour.
• Communication intensity often peaks during breeding seasons and territorial disputes.

Habitat & range

Shallow northern Gulf of California

Ecological role

Vaquita acts as a predator that helps regulate prey populations and maintain balance in shallow northern gulf of california.

Conservation status of the Vaquita

Sources & references

This guide is compiled and reviewed against established zoological and conservation references. Key sources for the Vaquita:

• IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

  Conservation status (Critically Endangered) reflects the IUCN Red List category for Phocoena sinus, most recently assessed in 2022.

• iNaturalist — observations & photos

  Search citizen-science observations and community IDs for Phocoena sinus. Useful for range checks and recent sightings — not a substitute for formal Red List status.

• GBIF — occurrence data

  Global Biodiversity Information Facility species search for Phocoena sinus. Explore published occurrence records used in range research.

• IUCN Red List — Phocoena sinus.

  Conservation status (Critically Endangered) and population trends.

• Animal Diversity Web — Phocoena sinus. University of Michigan Museum of Zoology.

  Life history, morphology, and range.

• Wikipedia — Vaquita.

  General taxonomy and overview (cross-check primary sources).

• Global Animal Guide editorial standards

  How we research, source, review, and update every guide for accuracy.