Vaquita Porpoise Resists Extinction in Mexico's Gulf of California

The endangered vaquita porpoises are holding on in their only habitat in the Gulf of California, with experts estimating they saw from 10 to 13 of the tiny, shy, elusive porpoises during nearly two weeks of sailing in the gulf last month. Illegal gillnets have trapped and killed vaquitas for decades, and the population has declined from nearly 600 vaquitas in 1997. The Mexican government has made some efforts to stop the net fishing, but the fishermen still appear to have the upper hand, entering the protected area to fish on a daily basis and even sabotaging monitoring efforts.