Birth of Vaquita Calf in Gulf of California Sparks Cautious Optimism

A glimmer of hope has emerged for the critically endangered vaquita porpoise. In late October 2025, the birth of a calf was confirmed in the northern reaches of the Gulf of California. This significant observation stemmed from a joint expedition conducted by the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and various Mexican governmental agencies. The sighting offers a much-needed boost for a species whose wild population is estimated to hover between just seven and ten individuals as of 2025. This reproductive event marked the culmination of the 2025 Vaquita Sighting Survey Cruise, providing the third consecutive year of confirmed reproductive activity documented through monitoring efforts.

The campaign, which ran from May through September 2025, yielded both visual and acoustic data crucial for population assessment. Scientists estimated the total population to be in the 7–10 range, noting the presence of at least one, and possibly two, newborn calves. For context, the population estimate for 2024 stood at six to eight individuals, a slight dip from the ten to thirteen individuals recorded in 2023. The vaquita, endemic exclusively to the upper Gulf of California in Mexico, has been driven to the brink of extinction primarily due to illegal gillnet fishing. These nets are set to catch totoaba fish, whose swim bladders command high prices on the black market, particularly in China.

Conservation coordination involves several key partners working in lockstep with Sea Shepherd. These include Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas (CONANP), and the Mexican Navy (SEMAR). Monitoring programs rely heavily on advanced acoustic detectors and aerial surveys conducted from Sea Shepherd vessels, specifically the Seahorse and the Bob Barker. These dedicated patrol and illegal net removal efforts, ongoing for over a decade under Operation Milagro (Protect the Vaquita), clearly demonstrate that direct intervention and robust collaboration yield tangible results.

Reports indicate that sustained conservation measures, particularly rigorous patrolling and enforcement within the Zero Tolerance Zone (ZTZ), have dramatically curtailed illicit fishing activity. Illegal fishing within this critical area has reportedly dropped by an impressive 95 percent. The ZTZ, established in 2020, represents a stricter subset of the larger reserve created in 2005, where all vessel presence is strictly prohibited. Marina Robles García, Mexico’s Deputy Secretary of Ecology, emphasized that spotting individuals unseen for years confirms the species’ persistence and ongoing ability to reproduce.

Despite this encouraging development, the species’ overall status remains precarious. The population plummeted from approximately 600 individuals in the early 1990s down to just 10 by 2018. In 2023, CITES imposed sanctions on Mexico due to perceived inaction against illegal fishing, sanctions that were subsequently lifted after the government adopted a comprehensive action plan. As part of this commitment, Conapesca issued over 230 permits for the use of alternative fishing gear, aiming to foster sustainable livelihoods. The confirmation of a calf in 2025, especially following a year with zero documented births in 2024, serves as a vital milestone, affirming the vaquita’s resilience against overwhelming environmental pressures.