The vaquita porpoise remains treacherously close to becoming extinct forever: biologists believe there are fewer than 30 animals alive today. That’s smaller than the size of an average high school classroom.
Back in April, the International Marine Mammal Project joined more than 50 environmental organizations in a boycott against the Mexican shrimp industry. However, according to Greenpeace Mexico’s new online petition, the government has yet to stop the fishing of totoaba, one of the primary factors behind the vaquita’s decline.
Totoaba are prized in the orient for their swim bladders, so an illegal fishery smuggles the swim bladders out of Mexico. Many of the fish wind up thrown away after their swim bladders are cut out. The fish are caught in plastic gills nets which also entangle and drown vaquitas.
Also, Mario Aguilar, head of the Mexican National Commission of Aquaculture and Fisheries, reportedly continues to allow his commission to obstruct any real attempts to save the vaquita.
This is why your support is needed now more than ever to keep the vaquita away from the brink.
Photo by Greenpeace.