Last year seemed to finally provide a ray of hope for the vaquita, the critically endangered Mexican porpoise that inhabits the upper reaches of the Gulf of California. As the population of the tiny marine mammal slipped below 100, the government assembled an all-out effort to save the species, placing strict curbs on fishing and sending in the Mexican Navy to enforce them. (See “Mexico plans 11th-hour drive to save vaquita—EcoAméricas, March ’15.) Then, during a 10-week marine expedition to estimate a new count of the population, researchers made at least two-dozen sightings of the elusive vaquita (Phocoena sinus), beyond anything they had hoped for. (See “Some rare good news about a very rare porpoise”—EcoAméricas, Oct. ’15.) But this... [Log in to read more]