Save the Vaquita Day July 7 at the Aquarium

July 5, 2018

You can help the Aquarium of the Pacific spread the word about a critically endangered species on International Save the Vaquita Day on July 7. Found only in the northern part of the Gulf of California, Mexico, the vaquita porpoise is the world’s most endangered marine mammal. Fewer than thirty vaquitas remain, according to a report by the International Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita (CIRVA).

The Aquarium will host activities and education booths to build public awareness of the vaquita and the threats that have brought it to the brink of extinction. The Aquarium of the Pacific and a team of aquariums and zoos across the country are asking the public to get involved in the #4aporpoise campaign to help raise awareness about the plight of this animal, the smallest cetacean (whale, dolphin, or porpoise) on the planet. The vaquita population has declined by more than 90 percent since 2011. The Mexican government enacted a permanent gillnet ban in the area, but illegal fishing continues.

On Vaquita Day, Aquarium guests can attend a special presentation at 11:00 a.m. by Brooke Bessesen author of Vaquita: Science, Politics, and Crime in the Sea of Cortez. Bessesen has worked with wildlife for more than three decades, from veterinary medicine to field biology rescue. Guests can also participate in a vaquita selfie station and use the hashtag #4aporpoise to spread the word about this critically endangered animal. The event also includes films, a game, and shows. Conservation efforts are underway to help protect the vaquita, but the situation remains critical. The Aquarium’s Seafood for the Future program, for example, is working with scientists, chefs, and seafood buyers in Mexico and the U.S. to create market-based incentives for fishermen to use fishing gear that won’t harm the vaquita. Vaquitas are unintentionally caught and drowned in gillnets. “Scientists, marine mammal experts, and the Mexican government continue to coordinate together in an effort to help the vaquita,” said David Bader, Aquarium of the Pacific education director.

Saturday, July 7, 2018, from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. / Vaquita lecture: 11:00 a.m.

Included with general admission: $29.95 for adults (12+), $17.95 for children (3-11), $26.95 for seniors (62+), and free for children under three years old and Aquarium members.