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Mexico announced plans to use trained dolphins to corral the last remaining vaquita marina porpoises into a protected breeding ground.

Vaquita Marina Porpoises

• The world’s most rare marine mammal, is on the edge of extinction.
• Scientists estimate there are just 30 remaining vaquitas, the world’s smallest porpoise, a species found only in the waters of the Gulf of California.
• The vaquita has a large dark ring around its eyes and dark patches on its lips that form a thin line from the mouth to the pectoral fins.
• Vaquita are often caught and drowned in gillnets used by illegal fishing operations in marine protected areas within Mexico’s Gulf of California.
• The population has dropped drastically in the last few years.

Rescue Measures taken

• The authorities would deploy dolphins trained by the U.S. Navy to herd as many vaquitas as possible into a marine refuge.
• Guarantee to capture the largest possible number of vaquitas to have an opportunity to save them.
• The government also announced it has permanently banned the fishing nets in which vaquitas are often killed.
• Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto signed a deal in June with Hollywood star Leonardo DiCaprio and Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim to increase efforts to save the vaquita.

Source : The Hindu

GS III : Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment