The world’s smallest porpoise is on the edge of extinction, with only 60 reported to be left in the wild

THE world’s smallest porpoise is on the edge of extinction, with only 60 left in the wild.

Environmentalists have warned that Mexico's Vaquita Marina is close to extinction. Picture: Omar Vidal.

THE world’s smallest and rarest porpoise, the Vaquita Marina, is on the edge of extinction.

Scientists from the International Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita (CIRVA), recently reported that only 60 were left in the wild.

Lorenzo Rojas-Bracho, chair of CIRVA, said in a statement: “We are watching this precious native species disappear before our eyes.”

The species, whose name translates to “little cow” is endemic to the upper Gulf of California, and has a maximum length of 1.5m.

Over the past two years the number of vaquitas have dropped a whopping 40 per cent, due mostly, to illegal gillnet fishing.

Nets are set up in the area to catch the Totoaba; another critically endangered species whose swim bladder is considered a delicacy in Asia. The Vaquita get ensnared by mistake, and drown.

Extensive efforts have been made to save the species; millions of dollars have been spent with naval reinforcements called into the Gulf in April 2015 to enforce a ban on gillnets and compensation programs for local fisherman introduced. However, these efforts have proved unsuccessful.

Given the grim news environmental agencies are calling for radical action.

Omar Vidal, the CEO of WWF-Mexico said in a press release: “Despite all the best efforts, we are losing the battle to stop totoaba fishing and save the Vaquita.”

He added, “We can still save the Vaquita, but this is our last chance.”

Should the porpoise become extinct, they would become the fifth marine mammal species to disappear in modern times.