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Artwork by Rachel Ivanyi -www.rachelivanyi.com

What is a vaquita?

The vaquita is a small species of porpoise found only in the northernmost waters of the Gulf of California.  It is the world’s most endangered marine mammal, with fewer than 15 individuals remaining on the planet. Tell me more…

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Threats to their survival

The vaquita is threatened by the use of gillnets for fishing – these nets entangle and drown the vaquita.  The gillnets that are most deadly for the vaquita are the nets used to catch another endangered species – a fish called the totoaba.  The swim bladder of the totoaba is worth tens of thousands of dollars in China, so fisherman continue to fish for totoaba despite the risk of being caught.  Tell me more…

Having an impact.

The Wild Lens Collective launched a media outreach and engagement campaign in 2015 focused on the vaquita’s extinction crisis.  Since then Wild Lens has conducted extensive reporting on this issue, including the production of a 30-min documentary, Souls of the Vermilion Sea, released in 2017, and the forthcoming feature length film, Sea of Shadows, Executive Produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and set to premiere at Sundance Film Festival in 2019.  Tell me more…

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What is a vaquita?

The vaquita is a small species of porpoise found only in the northernmost waters of the Gulf of California.  It is the world’s most endangered marine mammal, with fewer than 15 individuals remaining on the planet. Tell me more…

Placeholder

Threats to their survival

The vaquita is threatened by the use of gillnets for fishing – these nets entangle and drown the vaquita.  The gillnets that are most deadly for the vaquita are the nets used to catch another endangered species – a fish called the totoaba.  The swim bladder of the totoaba is worth tens of thousands of dollars in China, so fisherman continue to fish for totoaba despite the risk of being caught.  Tell me more…

Placeholder

Having an impact.

The Wild Lens Collective launched a media outreach and engagement campaign in 2015 focused on the vaquita’s extinction crisis.  Since then Wild Lens has conducted extensive reporting on this issue, including the production of a 30-min documentary, Souls of the Vermilion Sea, released in 2017, and the forthcoming feature length film, Sea of Shadows, Executive Produced by Leonardo DiCaprio and set to premiere at Sundance Film Festival in 2019.  Tell me more…

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SEA OF SHADOWS


A feature length film produced in association with the Wild Lens Collective:

In Mexico’s Sea of Cortez, a group of expert scientists, high-tech activists, investigative journalists and courageous undercover agents attempt to rescue the most endangered and elusive marine mammal on Earth, while battling the vicious Mexican drug cartels and Chinese traffickers whose destructive poaching methods are threatening the region’s marine life.

Learn more about the film!

Souls of the Vermilion Sea


A 30-min documentary produced by the Wild Lens Collective: 

In the Northernmost corner of the Gulf of California in Mexico, several small fishing communities are facing a crisis. The black market for the swim bladder of an endangered fish called the totoaba is putting these communities and the surrounding marine ecosystem at risk. One species is threatened with extinction if this illegal totoaba fishing continues – Mexico’s endemic porpoise, the vaquita.

Watch now on Amazon Prime! Learn more about the film

The Vaquita Chronicles Podcast


A podcast series featuring interviews and reporting from the front lines of the vaquita’s extinction crisis.

Listen on iTunes Listen on Stitcher

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