Technical Report: Vanishing vaquita

Abstract

The vaquita is a species of porpoise on the brink of extinction with less than 10 individuals estimated to be left in the wild. Although not commercially targeted, the vaquita is collateral damage in an ongoing conflict between fishers, government and international illegal trade. Conservation of this species, therefore, must include provisions for and engagement of all stakeholders involved. This technical background report for the 2021/2022 edition of the Interconnected Disaster Risks report analyses the root causes, drivers, impacts and potential solutions for the vanishing vaquita through a forensic analysis of academic literature, media articles and expert interviews.

Status, challenges and pathways to the sustainable use of wild species

“…Illegal trade is further associated with social injustices and violent conflicts and may involve criminal networks (World Bank, 2019). For example, the vaquita, a species of porpoise only found in the northern Gulf of California, is currently on the verge of extinction, due to poaching and illegal trade by criminal organizations of an equally endangered, but highly valuable fish known as the totoaba (O'Connor et al, 2022). International cooperation is often required to address illegal harvest and trade (Rosen and Smith, 2010;Tittensor et al, 2020).…”