Whale and Dolphin Reasearch
Donation protected
The Plan is to sail to the Sea of Cortez to protect the world's most endangered porpoise the Vaquita.
We will be documenting the life of all Marine Mammals in 4K-HD and recording the sounds of marine noise pollution to study the effects on marine mammals such as the Vaquita and Humpback whales and their migration patterns .
We will also be focusing on Micro-Trash and its effects on Phytoplankton populations.
Providing weekly updates utilizing social media platforms we will keep a real time account of our researsch.
I am the Captain and the owner of the research vessel, Kima. She is a 39' Trimaran, the remaining expenses are production and operating expenses at $25,000.00 annually.
Check out this link below
The Vaquita Porpoise
The vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is a small porpoise (whales, dolphins, and porpoises are called cetaceans by scientists). It is one of only seven species of true porpoises, and is the only one that occurs in warm waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is found in a tiny area in the extreme northern Gulf of California, in Baja California, Mexico. It is a unique species, with a body shape and color pattern unlike that of any other. It has a tall dorsal fin (for a porpoise) and a beautiful color pattern on the face, with dark eye rings and lip patches that look like an application of “goth” make-up. There is only one small population, and if the species goes extinct, it will be gone forever.
The vaquita has only been known to science since 1958.
Vaquita means “little cow” in Spanish.
At about 5 feet (1.5 m) long, it’s the smallest species of cetacean.
The vaquita lives only about a 4 hour drive from San Diego.
Unlike other porpoises, vaquitas give birth only every other year.
Newborns are born in the spring (March/April).
They live to be only about 20-21 years old.
Vaquitas have never been held in captivity.
It is one of the rarest and most-endangered mammal species in the world.
Its fate is tied to that of the upper Gulf of California ecosystem.
The vaquita could go extinct in as little as two years if we do not act NOW.
Vaquita Fast Facts
The vaquita has probably always been a rare species. But in the last few decades, the small population plummeted by about 5-8% per year, as gillnets set for fish and shrimp kill more porpoises than are born. The nearly-invisible gillnets trap vaquitas and they drown. The decline rate has accelerated in recent years to 18.5% annually, and the current population is less than 100 individuals. If prompt progress is not made, the vaquita will be extinct in a few short years. The very perilous situation of the vaquita has been recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which lists it as Critically Endangered.
Can the Vaquita be Saved?
Yes! Unlike some endangered species that have no place left to live in the wild, the vaquita’s home in the Gulf of California is clean and healthy. The only real problem is the gillnets that entangle and kill vaquitas. If the fishing practices can be modified to be 'vaquita-safe' in the small area where they live, the species will likely recover. With your help, we can save still the vaquita!!
Problems and Solutions
The vaquita occupies a very limited range in the northern Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez), just south of the mouth of the Colorado River. It can be found just a short drive from San Diego and Tijuana.
https://pitch.liveplan.com/xcWxd/gXghK
We will be documenting the life of all Marine Mammals in 4K-HD and recording the sounds of marine noise pollution to study the effects on marine mammals such as the Vaquita and Humpback whales and their migration patterns .
We will also be focusing on Micro-Trash and its effects on Phytoplankton populations.
Providing weekly updates utilizing social media platforms we will keep a real time account of our researsch.
I am the Captain and the owner of the research vessel, Kima. She is a 39' Trimaran, the remaining expenses are production and operating expenses at $25,000.00 annually.
Check out this link below
The Vaquita Porpoise
The vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is a small porpoise (whales, dolphins, and porpoises are called cetaceans by scientists). It is one of only seven species of true porpoises, and is the only one that occurs in warm waters of the eastern Pacific Ocean. It is found in a tiny area in the extreme northern Gulf of California, in Baja California, Mexico. It is a unique species, with a body shape and color pattern unlike that of any other. It has a tall dorsal fin (for a porpoise) and a beautiful color pattern on the face, with dark eye rings and lip patches that look like an application of “goth” make-up. There is only one small population, and if the species goes extinct, it will be gone forever.
The vaquita has only been known to science since 1958.
Vaquita means “little cow” in Spanish.
At about 5 feet (1.5 m) long, it’s the smallest species of cetacean.
The vaquita lives only about a 4 hour drive from San Diego.
Unlike other porpoises, vaquitas give birth only every other year.
Newborns are born in the spring (March/April).
They live to be only about 20-21 years old.
Vaquitas have never been held in captivity.
It is one of the rarest and most-endangered mammal species in the world.
Its fate is tied to that of the upper Gulf of California ecosystem.
The vaquita could go extinct in as little as two years if we do not act NOW.
Vaquita Fast Facts
The vaquita has probably always been a rare species. But in the last few decades, the small population plummeted by about 5-8% per year, as gillnets set for fish and shrimp kill more porpoises than are born. The nearly-invisible gillnets trap vaquitas and they drown. The decline rate has accelerated in recent years to 18.5% annually, and the current population is less than 100 individuals. If prompt progress is not made, the vaquita will be extinct in a few short years. The very perilous situation of the vaquita has been recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which lists it as Critically Endangered.
Can the Vaquita be Saved?
Yes! Unlike some endangered species that have no place left to live in the wild, the vaquita’s home in the Gulf of California is clean and healthy. The only real problem is the gillnets that entangle and kill vaquitas. If the fishing practices can be modified to be 'vaquita-safe' in the small area where they live, the species will likely recover. With your help, we can save still the vaquita!!
Problems and Solutions
The vaquita occupies a very limited range in the northern Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez), just south of the mouth of the Colorado River. It can be found just a short drive from San Diego and Tijuana.
https://pitch.liveplan.com/xcWxd/gXghK
Organizer
Dustin Ryan
Organizer
Makawao, HI
