There is good news, as a new report says there is hope for the critically endangered vaquita porpoise.
The vaquita porpoise is one of the most endangered animals in the world. Sadly, they are very close to extinction, as only 10 vaquita porpoises remain.
With only 10 vaquita porpoises remaining in the world today, it means that these cute animals are very close to extinction.
Their survival in the future will depend upon several things - protecting them in the wild, and, protecting their habitat.
If we protect their habitat and protect these beautiful animals in the wild, then the report says that there is a very good chance that we could save vaquita porpoises and bring them back from the brink of extinction.
The Report
The report about vaquita porpoises was published in 'Science'.
The report is called: 'The critically endangered vaquita is not doomed to extinction by inbreeding depression,' and was published yesterday.
The researchers believe that the vaquita porpoise is not necessarily 'doomed' to extinction, they believe that vaquitas are not necessarily doomed to extinction because they have found that vaquitas have a reduced risk of 'inbreeding depression.' The researchers have found that the genomics (evolution, structure and function) of this species can predict the species' likelihood of extinction.
The report also says how we can help vaquitas to survive.
One of the things that would help the vaquita is if bycatch is stopped. Another thing which would help the vaquita is if gillnets are banned.
Gillnets are used in fishing and they are harmful to vaquita porpoises because vaquita porpoises get tangled in the gillnets.
If we take steps like these to help protect the vaquita porpoise from harm, then we could help prevent these animals from becoming exinct.
The vaquita porpoise population has declined rapidly in the last few decades. In 1997, there was 600 individual vaquita porpoises. In less than three decades though, most of their population is gone, and there are now only 10 individual vaquita porpoises left in the world.
This shows how drastically and quickly the vaquita porpoise population has declined. What we do today, will determine whether or not these animals will survive for the future, or, go extinct.
You can read more from the report - here.
Comments