Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: The Print
Context: The International Whaling Commission (IWC) has issued its first-ever extinction alert for the critically endangered vaquita porpoise, the world’s smallest porpoise native to Mexico’s Gulf of California.
- The vaquita’s population has dwindled to just nine or ten individuals due to illegal gill net fishing, which aims to catch the totoaba fish for its valuable bladder in the Asian market.
The IWC’s scientific committee highlighted an alarming 83% decline in the Vaquita population between 2015 and 2018. This alert is driven by the need for a new mechanism to voice extinction concerns for various cetacean species and populations.
About Vaquita porpoise:
- The vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is the world’s smallest cetacean.
- They are only distant relatives of dolphins.
Protection Status:
- IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered.
- CITES: Appendix I
