{"id":21805,"date":"2017-03-14T22:55:11","date_gmt":"2017-03-14T22:55:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dolphinaris.com\/?p=21805\/?p=21805"},"modified":"2019-11-14T22:02:47","modified_gmt":"2019-11-14T22:02:47","slug":"how-navy-trained-bottlenose-dolphins-may-save-the-vaquita","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dolphinaris.com\/how-navy-trained-bottlenose-dolphins-may-save-the-vaquita\/","title":{"rendered":"How Navy-Trained Bottlenose Dolphins May Save the Vaquita"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>How Navy-Trained Bottlenose Dolphins May Save the Vaquita<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yikes! There are less than 60 vaquitas left on the planet!<\/p>\n<h2>What are Vaquitas?<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/halosolar.mx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/bef111eddd021fcf009ae5bcf92f5044.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/p>\n<p>In case you didn\u2019t know\u2026<\/p>\n<p>They are the world\u2019s smallest cetaceans (<em>dolphins, porpoises, whales<\/em>).\u00a0 They\u2019re also the most endangered marine mammal on the planet.<\/p>\n<h2>A Rescue Plan<\/h2>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_21828\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/images.dolphinaris.com\/images\/how-navy-trained-bottlenose-dolphins-may-save-the-vaquita-preview.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21828\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-21828\" src=\"https:\/\/images.dolphinaris.com\/images\/how-navy-trained-bottlenose-dolphins-may-save-the-vaquita-preview.jpg\" alt=\"Navy-Trained Bottlenose Dolphins May Save the Vaquita\" width=\"600\" height=\"399\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.dolphinaris.com\/images\/how-navy-trained-bottlenose-dolphins-may-save-the-vaquita-preview.jpg 600w, https:\/\/images.dolphinaris.com\/images\/how-navy-trained-bottlenose-dolphins-may-save-the-vaquita-preview-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-21828\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Navy-Trained Bottlenose Dolphins May Save the Vaquita<\/p><\/div>\n<p>But not all is lost, though. They\u2019re cousins, the bottlenose dolphins, are coming to the rescue!<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s take a firsthand look at how navy-trained bottlenose dolphins may save the vaquita.<\/p>\n<p>But first of all\u2026<\/p>\n<h2>Why are the Vaquitas in Danger?<\/h2>\n<p>Fishermen use \u2018gillnets\u2019 to catch the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Totoaba\">totoaba fish.<\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong><u>These totoaba \u2018gillnets\u2019, which are banned, happen to also catch the vaquita dolphin.<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The problem is this: the swim bladder of the totoaba fish can be sold for <a href=\"http:\/\/www.foxnews.com\/world\/2014\/08\/07\/mexican-traffickers-move-into-asia-pricey-fish-bladder-market.html\">7,000 USD to 14,000 USD<\/a> on the blackmarket. Some even call it \u201caquatic cocaine\u201d.<\/p>\n<h2>The Totoaba: China\u2019s Prized Delicacy<\/h2>\n<p>Why is this swim bladder so valuable in China?<\/p>\n<p>Because they believe it can help with a wide variety of ailments from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/mallorypickett\/2016\/09\/26\/aquatic-cocaine-driving-tiny-porpoise-to-extinction\/#48d0c227136a\">infertility to achy joints<\/a>. Before they used the swim bladder of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.npr.org\/sections\/goatsandsoda\/2016\/02\/09\/466185043\/chinese-taste-for-fish-bladder-threatens-tiny-porpoise-in-mexico\">yellow croaker, before it\u2019s numbers diminished<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2>Why is the Totoaba Swim Bladder So Expensive?<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-480\" src=\"https:\/\/images.dolphinaris.com\/images\/2018\/09\/Totoaba-fish.jpg\" alt=\"How Navy-Trained Bottlenose Dolphins May Save the Vaquita - totoaba fish\" width=\"360\" height=\"245\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The totoaba is endangered as well. This, and vaquita protection efforts, have made fishing the totoaba illegal.<\/p>\n<p>When you pair this fact with the strong demand, you\u2019ve created the perfect recipe for illegal trade. What you have is\u2026<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>low supplies (endangered totoaba)<\/li>\n<li>high demand (some Chinese believe it to be a miracle drug)<\/li>\n<li>a high enough price to entice people to break the law<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Ultimate it comes down to this sad truth\u2026<\/p>\n<p><strong>There\u2019s A LOT more money in killing the totoaba\u2014and the vaquita\u2014than there is in protecting them.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>Navy-Trained <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dolphinaris.com\/everything-you-need-to-know-about-dolphins\/\">Bottlenose Dolphins<\/a> to the Rescue<\/h2>\n<p>But luckily\u2026<\/p>\n<p>The U.S. Navy trains bottlenose dolphins to use their ability to dive deep and use sonar, to locate mines and other objects. In this case, the vaquita.<\/p>\n<p>Here\u2019s the plan.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>Send the navy-trained bottlenose dolphins down to find the vaquitas<\/li>\n<li>Once the dolphin reports back<\/li>\n<li>Capture the vaquita<\/li>\n<li>Transport back to an enclosed-pen in the sea<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>There, they would be free from gillnets and have the protection to reproduce to safe numbers.<\/p>\n<p>At least\u2026in theory.<\/p>\n<h2>The Counterargument<\/h2>\n<p>Other experts say the rescue mission is too risky. The remaining female vaquitas could die, guaranteeing their extinction.<\/p>\n<p>But\u2026<\/p>\n<p>\u2026there may be no choice in the matter as no better rescue alternative exists.<\/p>\n<p><strong>The navy-trained bottlenose dolphins will start their rescue mission sometime this spring.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>The Brief History of the Vaquita<\/h2>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-481\" src=\"https:\/\/images.dolphinaris.com\/images\/2018\/09\/Vaquita.jpg\" alt=\"How Navy-Trained Bottlenose Dolphins May Save the Vaquita\" width=\"742\" height=\"582\" \/><\/p>\n<p>The vaquita wasn\u2019t officially discovered until 1950!<\/p>\n<p>Even stranger\u2026<\/p>\n<p>Scientists didn\u2019t see one live until 1985!<\/p>\n<h2>The Size &amp; Look of the Vaquita<\/h2>\n<p>As mentioned earlier, the vaquita(meaning small cow in Spanish) is the smallest cetacean.<\/p>\n<p>Its dimensions are\u2026<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>9 to 4.9 feet in length (120 to 150 cms.)<\/li>\n<li>120 pounds in weight (55 kilograms)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>It has small dark rings around its eyes and mouth.<\/p>\n<h2>Conclusion<\/h2>\n<div id=\"attachment_21825\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/images.dolphinaris.com\/images\/how-navy-trained-bottlenose-dolphins-may-save-the-vaquita-infografic.jpg\"><img aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-21825\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-21825 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/images.dolphinaris.com\/images\/how-navy-trained-bottlenose-dolphins-may-save-the-vaquita-infografic.jpg\" alt=\"vaquita infografic\" width=\"600\" height=\"399\" srcset=\"https:\/\/images.dolphinaris.com\/images\/how-navy-trained-bottlenose-dolphins-may-save-the-vaquita-infografic.jpg 600w, https:\/\/images.dolphinaris.com\/images\/how-navy-trained-bottlenose-dolphins-may-save-the-vaquita-infografic-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-21825\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">how navy trained bottlenose dolphins may save the vaquita infografic<\/p><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>We\u2019ve only known the vaquitas for about 30 years.<\/li>\n<li>Their global numbers have shrunk to below 60.<\/li>\n<li>Illegal trade remains its number one threat.<\/li>\n<li>S. Navy trained bottlenose dolphins to use deep-diving and sonar to locate the vaquitas<\/li>\n<li>The mission is risky and dangerous\u2014but it may be their only hope.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>That was our <u>How Navy-Trained Bottlenose Dolphins May Save the Vaquita<\/u> article. How did we do?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>If you enjoyed, please share on Facebook.<\/em><\/strong><br \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"BlogPosting\",\n  \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n    \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n    \"@id\": \"https:\/\/www.dolphinaris.com\/how-navy-trained-bottlenose-dolphins-may-save-the-vaquita\/\"\n  },\n  \"headline\": \"How Navy-Trained Bottlenose Dolphins May Save the Vaquita\",\n  \"description\": \"Vaquita are the most endangered marine mammal on the planet. Their cousins, the bottlenose dolphins, are coming to the rescue!\",\n  \"image\": {\n    \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n    \"url\": \"https:\/\/images.dolphinaris.com\/images\/how-navy-trained-bottlenose-dolphins-may-save-the-vaquita.jpg\",\n    \"width\": 696,\n    \"height\": 300\n  },\n  \"author\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n    \"name\": \"Dolphinaris\"\n  },  \n  \"publisher\": {\n    \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n    \"name\": \"Dolphinaris\",\n    \"logo\": {\n      \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n      \"url\": \"https:\/\/www.dolphinaris.com\/wp-content\/themes\/dolphinaris\/img\/logo-dolphinaris-blu.png\",\n      \"width\": 60,\n      \"height\": 60\n    }\n  },\n  \"datePublished\": \"2017-03-14\",\n  \"dateModified\": \"2019-11-05\"\n}\n<\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How Navy-Trained Bottlenose Dolphins May Save the Vaquita Yikes! There are less than 60 vaquitas left on the planet! What [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":21818,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[886,269],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v21.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How Navy-Trained Bottlenose Dolphins May Save the Vaquita - Dolphinaris<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Vaquita are the most endangered marine mammal on the planet. 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