10 Questions
What is the main threat to the vaquita population mentioned in the text?
Gill nets used by fishermen
What is the primary reason for the illegal trade in totoaba swim bladders?
Lucrative nature of the trade after decline of bahaba fish in China
Which of the following is suggested as a potential solution to help save the vaquita population?
Investing in alternative fishing technology
Why is the vaquita's story described as highlighting a larger biodiversity crisis?
As more species are going extinct due to human impact
Where is the vaquita porpoise native to?
Northern Gulf of California in Mexico
What is the primary cause of animals becoming endangered?
Habitat loss
Which animal species mentioned in the text is critically endangered with only about sixty left in the wild?
Amur leopards
How does pollution contribute to habitat destruction according to the text?
By contaminating food sources for some animals
What actions are mentioned in the text as efforts to protect endangered species?
Planting trees to restore habitats
Which of the following animals is not mentioned as an endangered species in the text?
Brown pelicans
Study Notes
- The vaquita is a tiny porpoise facing extinction, with estimates putting their population at below 12.
- This species, native to the northern Gulf of California in Mexico, is threatened by gill nets used by fishermen targeting the totoaba fish.
- The vaquita's decline is linked to the illegal trade in totoaba swim bladders, which became lucrative after the decline of the bahaba fish in China.
- Despite potential solutions like investing in alternative fishing technology or enforcing laws against totoaba trade, the vaquita continues to edge closer to extinction.
- The vaquita's story highlights the larger biodiversity crisis on Earth, with more species going extinct at an alarming rate due to human impact.
Learn about the plight of the vaquita porpoise, a critically endangered species native to the Gulf of California, threatened by illegal fishing practices and trade. Explore the challenges and potential solutions in saving this tiny marine mammal from extinction.
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