“Intrepid conservation detective story.” —Nature“A lucid, informed, and gripping account…a must-read.” —Science“Passionate…a heartfelt and alarming tale.” —Publishers Weekly“Gripping…a well-told and moving tale of environmentalism and conservation.” —Kirkus“Compelling.” —Library Journal In 2006, vaquita, a diminutive porpoise making its home in the Upper Gulf of California, inherited the … —Library Journal
In 2006, vaquita, a diminutive porpoise making its home in the Upper Gulf of California, inherited the dubious title of world’s most endangered marine mammal. Nicknamed “panda of the sea” for their small size and beguiling facial markings, vaquitas have been in decline for decades, dying by the hundreds in gillnets intended for commercially valuable fish, as well as for an endangered fish called totoaba. When international crime cartels discovered a lucrative trade in the swim bladders of totoaba, illegal gillnetting went rampant, and now the lives of the few remaining vaquitas hang in the balance.
Author Brooke Bessesen takes us on a journey to Mexico’s Upper Gulf region to uncover the story. She interviewed townspeople, fishermen, scientists, and activists, teasing apart a complex story filled with villains and heroes, a story whose outcome is unclear. When diplomatic and political efforts to save the little porpoise failed, Bessesen followed a team of veterinary experts in a binational effort to capture the last remaining vaquitas and breed them in captivity—the best hope for their survival. In this fast-paced, soul-searing tale, she learned that there are no easy answers when extinction is profitable.
Whether the rescue attempt succeeds or fails, the world must ask itself hard questions. When vaquita and the totoaba are gone, the black market will turn to the next vulnerable species. What will we do then?
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Very sad book if you love animals. I deleted it right away.
Book Review: Vaquita by Brooke Bessesen (MG) (YA) (Adult) (Non-fiction) 4 Stars ****
In the Sea of Cortez in the northern part of the Gulf of California in Mexico, scientists are witnessing the extinction of the VAQUITA, the world’s smallest and least known cetacean. So few have been spotted that many people believed they are in fact creatures of lore. “Earth will no longer be inhabitable to our kind. Saving species in captivity is not enough. We need to save whole ecosystems.” As we already know, when one species disappears or can no longer maintain its place in the food chain, the balance of nature is adversely affected when creatures are forced to move to other sources for sustenance. What’s the problem? No, not the dreaded Red Tide or sound disruption caused by naval exercises or experiments. Vaquita are the BYCATCH, or collateral damage of GILLNETS, expansive fishing nets spread across miles of ocean, entangling whales, sea turtles, dolphins, porpoises and others so these sea creatures drown from lack of oxygen.
Why? Mexican fishermen engage in the highly profitable fishing for totoaba for their predominantly Chinese customers who crave the prized swim bladders of these fish which are believed to prolong health and virility. The totoaba are gutted, their flesh not used as food, and what is left of their bodies is discarded. Yes, Mexicans are desperate for sources of income and rely heavily on the fishing industry and must fill their customers needs and requests, but China refuses to comply with regulations governing this ecologically destructive practice. Corruption in China and Mexico enables the black market.
What are Vaquitas? Fish and crab eating, these small porpoises can grow up to 5 ft. and weigh up to 120 lbs. Nicknamed “the panda of the sea” because of the markings around their eyes, Vaquitas are concentrated in this limited ecological system in the Sea of Cortez. Just a few years ago, scientists believed that maybe 2-3 still existed, if any at all. At most, there might be up to thirty still alive. Vaquitas are not the target—only the accidental victims.
Environmental groups attempted to trap vaquitas to keep them in enclosed sea pens so they can live and breed in safety, but these experiments end in disaster. The vaquitas do not accept or adapt to confinement and will literally bang their heads against the walls of the sea pens by swimming full force into these barriers until they have a fatal heart attack. Also, the vaquita cannot breathe freely and adequately in captivity.
Environmental groups pressure governments to use different fishing nets which will not entrap untargeted marine life. They also travel the seas to find and remove gillnets, some forgotten for years, but still acting as death traps for untold numbers of sea creatures.
Humane fishing is the goal. The numbers of vertebrates have dramatically decreased in recent years. If we are to insure that the food source from the world’s oceans will be enough to feed the populations of the competing countries, then we must take appropriate action to encourage the continuation and proliferation of all species to safeguard the balance of nature so the world can work as it was meant to.
Everyone should read this book and be informed about the affect our consumer habits have on our world. You can’t just say I believe in sustainable fishing if you eat shrimp..you kill porpoise.
A somewhat slow read as I like 99% of the populace have never heard of these creatures. There are many conflicting needs and interests and this creatures future looks bleak. It’s a book we should read but like the passenger pigeon it sounds like it may not make it.
The story of the critically endangered vaquita desperately needs telling—and no one can tell it better than Brooke Bessesen. She writes with authority and heart of a conservation crisis that must be addressed now—lest we lose forever, on our watch, the world’s smallest and most mysterious porpoise.