Vaquita

Hello! I'm a vaquita, and I am the smallest and shyest porpoise in the entire ocean. My special home is in the warm, sparkling waters of the Gulf of California in Mexico. This is the only place in the whole world where my family lives, which makes it a very important home for us. I have a unique look that makes me easy to recognize. I have dark circles around my eyes and a dark mouth that is shaped just like a smile. Because of my special markings, some people call me the 'panda of the sea,' and I think that’s a pretty cute nickname. It's nice to be known for my happy-looking face, even though I am very shy when I see boats or people.

My days are spent swimming through the gentle currents with my mom. We talk to each other using high-pitched clicks and squeaks that travel through the water. These sounds are my superpower. It’s called echolocation, and it helps me 'see' with sound. When I make a clicking noise, the sound bounces off things around me, like yummy fish and squid. The sound comes back to me like an echo and tells me exactly where my next meal is hiding. It’s the best way to find food in the big, blue sea. My family and I are very good at keeping to ourselves. It wasn't until 1958 that scientists first saw one of my relatives swimming, and they were very excited to finally learn about us and our secret lives under the waves.

Even though I love my ocean home, there is a big danger that my family and I face every day. There are large fishing nets, called gillnets, that are like big, invisible walls in the water. It’s hard for me to see them with my echolocation. These nets are not meant for me. They are put there to catch a fish called the totoaba. But sometimes, when I am swimming around looking for food or playing, I can get tangled in them by accident. This is a very big problem, and because of these nets, there are very, very few of my family members left in the ocean today. It makes our home a little scary sometimes.

But I have hope for the future. There are many kind people who are working very hard to protect my family. They go out in boats to remove the dangerous nets from our home so we can swim safely. I usually live for about 20 years, and I love every single moment I get to spend in my beautiful ocean home. My story reminds everyone how important it is to care for our oceans. By keeping my home safe from nets, people also help all the other amazing animals who live here with me. My hope is that we can all share the ocean together, safely and happily, for many years to come.