Vaquita

How it was counted

In September 2025 Mexico's CONANP and the vaquita survey team searched by sight and by sound across a study area (the protected area guarded by concrete blocks, its extension and the waters to their northwest), then a panel of experts, guided by facilitators from the University of St Andrews, agreed on the number. The figure covers that area only and counts animals known to be alive, so it is a minimum and not an estimate for the whole species.

A minimum, not a total: at least this many different vaquitas were known to be alive in the area the survey searched, and the true number may be higher.

Earlier figures

• 6 to 8 in May 2024: the previous count. Source: IUCN SSC Cetacean Specialist Group.
• On the trend: There is too much uncertainty in visual estimates to make strong conclusions about trends in vaquita numbers. Source: Cárdenas-Hinojosa, Rojas-Bracho and Nieto (CONANP), Taylor (IUCN) and others: Vaquita Research Campaign 2025, Report of the September Vaquita Survey.

What moves it

Vaquitas drown in fishing gear, gillnets above all, and no other danger to them is known, NOAA Fisheries says. The deadliest nets are set illegally for totoaba, a fish whose swim bladder sells in China, and NOAA Fisheries also names gillnets used for shrimp and finfish. The IUCN Cetacean Specialist Group and CIRVA add weak enforcement of the gillnet ban outside the area guarded by concrete blocks, and unprotected waters to the northwest that mothers and calves use.

• drowning as bycatch in gillnets (all types). Source: NOAA Fisheries.
• illegal gillnet fishing for totoaba. Source: NOAA Fisheries.
• the totoaba swim bladder trade to China. Source: NOAA Fisheries.
• gillnets set for shrimp and finfish, legal targets fished with banned gear. Source: NOAA Fisheries.
• unprotected habitat northwest of the ZTA and Extension Area, used by mothers and calves. Source: IUCN SSC Cetacean Specialist Group.
• weak enforcement of the gillnet ban outside the block-protected area. Source: IUCN SSC Cetacean Specialist Group.

Who is helping

The Mexican Navy placed concrete blocks with hooks made to snag gillnets and leads enforcement in the area they guard, with logistics and monitoring help from Sea Shepherd. CONANP and Sea Shepherd paid for the September 2025 survey and for training young people from San Felipe who joined it, and Sea Shepherd supplied the survey ships. Local fishers gather the sound data, NOAA Fisheries has lent technical help to Mexican researchers for decades, the Museo de la Ballena funded an earlier survey, and CIRVA (the vaquita's international recovery committee) has long recommended banning gillnets from the Biosphere Reserve.

The next count

The vaquita is counted at irregular intervals, and as of 12 November 2026 this page has no date for the next count.

Sources

• Cárdenas-Hinojosa, Rojas-Bracho and Nieto (CONANP), Taylor (IUCN) and others: Vaquita Research Campaign 2025, Report of the September Vaquita Survey Last checked 12 November 2026.

• IUCN SSC Cetacean Specialist Group

  • Reporte Crucero Vaquita 2024 Ingles Final
  • Report of the 13th meeting of CIRVA FINAL Last checked 12 November 2026.
  • Vaquita conservation: putting new changes to protection boundaries in context Last checked 12 November 2026.
  • Joint visual and acoustic survey finds vaquitas surviving and reproducing, mostly in and near the sanctuary Last checked 12 November 2026.
  • Vaquitas seen in autumn 2021 survey Last checked 12 November 2026.
  • Vaquita Last checked 12 November 2026.

• NOAA Fisheries

  • Vaquita Last checked 12 November 2026.
  • Vaquita Conservation and Abundance Last checked 12 November 2026.

What changed

• 12 November 2026 Added to Live Species, on the wall (1,000 or fewer): 7 to 10 (Known alive, a minimum, September 2025).
• 13 November 2026 A line of the record's wording changed.

Every change on the site