CIRVA Reports Vaquita as Earth’s Most Endangered Oceanic Mammal; Only 30 Left
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CIRVA Reports Vaquita as Earth’s Most Endangered Oceanic Mammal; Only 30 Left

The Vaquita, which is believed to be a rare mammal species of porpoise endemic is inching closer to complete extermination, warned the newly published report of International Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita (CIRVA). Regardless of the international efforts given by ecological leaders for saving this super-rare marine mammal, only 30 have left in the world, while the rest of the species have already been died out from the earth.

The vaquita porpoise, which is also called “panda of the sea,” is extremely endangered and inching closer to the complete destruction of earth. As mentioned in the newly published report, the threat of extinction for Vaquita is intensifying over the years by human activity, and soon this species will be no more.

In 2014, Vaquita was categorized as “critically endangered mammal” because of its dropping amount. In 2014, the number of Vaquita dropped below 100, resulting in its placement in the category of ‘impending menace of extinction.’ In 2015, that number was reorganized to nearly 60 and again fell to about 30 in November 2016. This extreme dropdown resulted in the conclusion that the rare species will soon be wiped out from the earth.

As believed by the International Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita (CIRVA), which was introduced for monitoring and saving Vaquita from death, the decrement of the population of this rare oceanic mammal is significantly contributed by ‘bycatch’ from the unlawful gillnet fishery for the totoaba – a similar-mass endemic drum that is also categorized under critically endangered species.

Though the protective housing and imprisoned breeding program have been scheduled for rescuing the species, it is not expected to have effect before October 2017. Regardless of international efforts and programs for saving this species, the number of this aquatic animal is going down gradually, and now there are only 30 Vaquitas have left in the world.

According to CIRVA chairman Lorenzo Rojas-Bracho, “Currently the situation is completely uncontrollable. Nearly 50 percent of the vaquitas have already vanished between 2015 and 2016, and rests are inching nearer to death. CIRVA also found that, over the past five years, the population of vaquita has crashed down by 90% and within one year, the entire Vaquita species will be wiped out from earth.