baja visitor

Updated 7/7/17 Vaquita mother & calf. Artist: Raziel Levi Mendez Moreno The seldom-seen Vaquita is a small porpoise (similar to a dolphin) that lives only in the northern reaches of the Gulf of California between the states of Baja California and Sonora below the Colorado River delta. Unfortunately, a rare Sea of Cortez fish called the Totuava swims in that same region. The Chinese value the bladder of Totuava in the thousands of dollars making fishing very profitable for the fisherman of the area. The problem is it's illegal to catch Totuava so it's done clandestinely. The same nets used to illegally catch this fish are killing off the Vaquita as a by-product. The Mexican government has banned gill nets in the northern region of the Gulf of California. The Mexican Navy is now patrolling the region plus other organizations such as Sea Shepard have stepped in as a last ditch effort to save the mari...