10 Interesting Facts about Vaquita, the Rarest Animal in the World

1. Vaquita is the Smallest Cetacean in the World.

Adults weigh around 60 to 120 pounds and can grow to a length of about 4 to 5 feet. Vaquitas reach a height of about 4.6 feet, while females are known to reach a maximum size of about 4.9 feet, making them one of the smallest species in the dolphin family.

2. Vaquitas use Sonar to Communicate and Navigate

Sonar, or echolocation, is the location of objects through sound reflection. They also rely on sonar to hunt efficiently in dark waters.

3. Vaquitas Have Unique Facial Markings and Dark Color Around Their Eyes

Because of its unique face, vaquitas are often compared to smiling pandas. The most noticeable feature of their pigment patterns is the black circles around each eye and the black spots on their upper and lower lips that curve. Vaquitas are mostly gray in color, with darker backs and white undersides with light gray markings. Newly born babies usually have a darker color.

4. Vaquitas are Carnivores

The translation of the given 'Bahasa' text to 'English' while preserving any html tags is as follows: "Food for vaquitas mainly consists of squid, fish, and crustaceans. They are mostly carnivores. Benthic fish such as croaker and grunts are their main food. On the other hand, killer whales and large sharks prey on vaquitas, but this is not the main factor causing their extinction."

5. Researchers estimate that Vaquitas can live for about 20 years.

"Vaquitas can live for a minimum of 20 years, and their sexual maturity ranges from 3 to 6 years. Most of them do not reach the age of 20 because they are highly endangered marine mammals."

6. A female Vaquita can have 5 to 7 offspring throughout her lifetime.

Vaquitas have a low reproduction rate. Female vaquitas give birth to one calf each year weighing around 16 pounds and measuring 2.5 feet long. Their pregnancy lasts for 10 to 11 months, and they usually give birth between the months of February and April.

The following is the translation of the text from 'Bahasa' to 'English' while preserving the HTML tags: "Young vaquita calves are cared for for several months before being weaned. This is why female vaquitas are estimated to produce only 5 to 7 offspring throughout their lifetime, considering their lifespan of only 20 years and reaching sexual maturity within 3 to 6 years."

7. Vaquita Habitat Limited in Small Part of Upper Gulf of California

The habitat of Vaquita is limited in the northern part of the Gulf of California, the waters between Baja, California, and Mexico. They live in shallow and murky waters with a depth of about 490 feet and prefer to stay in murky waters near the coastline, with high food availability and strong tides.

<b>8. Vaquitas Biasanya Terlihat Sendirian atau Berpasangan</b><br>

8. Vaquitas are usually seen alone or in pairs.

The following is the translation of the 'Bahasa' text to 'English' while preserving any HTML tags: "Vaquitas do not swim in larger groups. They are usually seen alone or in pairs while swimming and typically use their calves. Vaquitas are extremely shy mammals that are rarely seen in the wild and tend to avoid humans and boats."

9. Vaquitas Threatened with Extinction

Has been registered in the IUCN Red List, vaquitas are the most critically endangered cetaceans in the world. This decline in numbers is caused by capture in commercial and illegal gillnets. Approximately ten vaquitas remain in the wild, and WWF is working tirelessly to ensure they can live and thrive in their natural habitat.

<b>10. Ilmuwan Mencoba Menyimpan Vaquitas di Pena Laut pada tahun 2017</b><br>

10. Scientists Attempt to Save Vaquitas in the Sea Pen in 2017.

Desperate to find a solution to save the remaining vaquitas, CIRVA scientists recommend a controversial plan. The idea is to capture the vaquitas and keep them in netted enclosures in the Bay, in hopes that they will reproduce.

This is just a trial and error method that is unknown to scientists whether it will succeed. No vaquita fish has ever been kept in captivity before. Unfortunately, it died due to a heart attack. In short, this project was unsuccessful because vaquitas cannot thrive well in captivity.

news update

Vaquita, The Small Dolphin that Becomes the Rarest Animal in the World

There are only a few of these animals left in the world and they are almost extinct.