The vaquita (Spanish for ”little cow”) is the smallest and rarest species of porpoise. 

It’s endemic to Mexico, and only one area of Mexico, the upper reaches of the Sea of Cortes, also known as the Gulf of California. That’s the body of water located between the Baja California Peninsula and the rest of Mexico. 

Sadly, the vaquita is on the verge of extinction. It’s estimated there are fewer than ten of them left, and it has a slow reproductive cycle.   

Why is it almost extinct? The main culprits are the Mexican government, which has failed to protect it, corruption, poaching, drug cartels and the Chinese market. For this little porpoise, that’s a lethal combination. 

For more on the sad plight of the vaquita, I invite the reader to check out my article Can Mexico’s Endemic Vaquita Still be Saved from Extinction?