>Vaquita Porpoise Faces Imminent Extinction--Can It Be Saved?
>Drastic measures are needed to rescue vaquitas in the Gulf of California.
By Virginia Morell, for National Geographic
>Only 97 vaquita porpoises remain in the wild. Their steep decline is blamed largely on illegal gill-net fishing in the Gulf of California.
"The vaquita, a small porpoise found only in the Gulf of California, is rapidly going extinct, an international team of scientists reported earlier this month.
The researchers say that the marine mammals--whose name means "little cow" in Spanish--are accidentally drowning in the gill nets local fishers deploy for fish and shrimp. A mere 97 vaquitas remain.
Vaquitas are shy creatures, and rarely seen, except when they're pulled to the surface--dead--in nets. They've been known to science only since 1958, when three skulls were found on a beach. At the time, it was thought that they numbered in the low thousands. Scientists and fishers alike say the animals, with their pretty facial markings ("they look like they're wearing lipstick and mascara," one scientist said) and sleek bodies, are endearing.
There's danger now that the porpoises will become the second cetacean (the first was the baiji, or Chinese river dolphin) to succumb to human pressures, most likely disappearing forever by 2018.
"It's a complete disappointment for everybody, because we've all been working hard to turn this around, and the [Mexican] government has addressed this from the highest level possible," said Lorenzo Rojas-Bracho, a cetacean conservation specialist at Mexico's Commission of Natural Protected Areas and a member of the team.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/08/140813-vaquita-gulf-california-mexico-totoaba-gillnetting-china-baiji/
meanwhile there's only 1 individual of this frog species left but I don't see you trying to save it.
>>2040383
Good point, we should only focus on the MOST endangered animal and completely ignore all others.
>>2040389
we're currently focussing on animals that aren't even endangered such as lions and rhinos.
fix those that are the most likely to go extinct first, or don't but stop pretending you care.
>>2040393
Yes, but you're sperging out like this on a thread that is entirely about an animal likely to go extinct soon.
>>2040383
If there's only one left then how could the species be saved?
It would already be too late.
>>2040383
>1 individual
>save
Have a seat son, I think it's time you learned about the birds and the bees.
>>2040383
how do they know there's only one left?
why don't they put that one back where they found it and maybe it will do a better job of finding another one?
>something cute is going extinct
>DRASTIC MEASURES EVERYBODY
>>2040441
Who cares. People flay sheep alive, and at the same time get offended that someone puts a dress on a dog.
>>2040443
Based on how we decided a dog would wear pants, they can't wear a skirt. They have 2 sets of legs.
>>2040383
If there is only individual it's pretty much doomed unless you find a way to
1) create new individuals
2) generate a genepool rich enough to have a healthy population
>>2040400
Cloning
>>2040485
>hybrids are better than extinction.
extinction isn't necessarily a bad thing. it's not even caused by humans in this case. do you even natural selection?
>>2040509
>it's not even caused by humans in this case
Yes it is.
Please inform yourself before you say something stupid.
>>2040510
are you talking about the frog population that got wiped out by a fungus or the dolphins that are endangered by humans? maybe inform yourself about what the person talks before saying something stupid.
>>2040444
nigga what
>>2040547
or
>>2040509
>extinction isn't necessarily a bad thing
needless extinction in captivity is pretty bad.
I want one of those frogs as pet someday.
>>2040485
>there's a bunch of closely related sister species, they can be hybridized.
>hybrids are better than extinction.
European wildcats can hibridize quite with feral cats ,in fact it is one of the reasons their populations are threatened.So it isn't always better.
>>2040509
>>2040515
>Implying a fungus can travel across the ocean to find new frogs to parasite
>>2040635
>I want one of those frogs as pet someday.
Hybridisation is still basically extinction for that species. Sure, a few genes might live on, but that's not the point. We also have genes from early mammals, doesn't mean they're not extinct.
>>2040642
>>Implying a fungus can travel across the ocean to find new frogs to parasite
>what is globalisation and global trade
>what are planes
>>2040552
This is the correct answer
>bugguy derails the same thread twice in the same way
>>2037630
Why do we do this to ourselves guys?
>extinction is a bad thing
Kekule
>>2040404
gr8 b8 m8
>>2040742
because people don't know how to report posts and because mods like having a cumdumpster around and won't ban the fag
>>2040785
>too bad you ban evade.
>only one person disagrees with me, it's obviously the anon who got banned on _____
stay delusional
>>2040785
>selective breeding is a thing now.
>Cross endangered species A with species B
>try to remove B's genes
>succeed in removing B's genes with selective breeding
I'm sure this is possible somewhere in your imagination
>>2040802
>succeed in removing B's genes
who claimed that?
>>2040805
Then it's still a hybrid and you didn't save anything. If i shit into your mouth and you swallow 90% of it, you still have something more intelligent than you in your mouth.
>>2040809
>Then it's still a hybrid
hybrids are still better than nothing.
>you didn't save anything
they're bigger than their sister species.
I want them big cute frogs.
I've got leftover meat, I'll need your IQ to keep them cool, is that ok?
>>2040812
>I've got leftover meat, I'll need your IQ to keep them cool, is that ok?
Sure, if your fridge converts my IQ to kelvin, go ahead. ;)
>>2040814
we use celcius here, so I feel sort of bad for u.
but atleast you're good for something right?
>>2040816
>muh intelligence
>has a "degree" in gardening
Sure, m8.
>>2040715
>>what is globalisation and global trade
>>what are planes
Things that allowed the expansion of the fungus. Which ,curiously enough, are manmade.
>>2040826
everyone figured that already.
it's a miracle most sources don't make that obvious.
figures though, if they're at /an/ level.
>>2040377
>Cute animal going extinct
Throw a few in a zoo and clone'em up for future kids. Doesn't matter unless they are a key part of an ecosystem.
>Ugly insect or fungus or some shit
Who gives a shit
Drill the earth of its resources, select a few chosen few. Develop the technology needed to terraform a planet. Move to Mars with the elite while deploying all nuclear arsenal.
God wills it.
>>2040840
they aren't.
but they might as well exist soley in captivity, they're in California anyway, you can't expect a bunch of hilbillies to take care of it.
>>2040846
>California
>hilbillies
Beverly hillbillies that is!
but seriously, the gulf of California isn't in California, and neither are hillbillies.
>>2040853
they're all barbarians whether you like it or not.
>>2040858
the people of California?
I'm guessing that one little state is about 1000 times wealthier than your whole country.
if they're barbarians they're extremely rich ones.
>>2040859
>if they're barbarians they're extremely rich ones.
try not describing most of the first world.
>>2040861
Yeah, I guess.
Californians are comically peaceful and progressive though. The very caricature of civilization. Damn liberal hippies most of them.
>>2040862
it's also 140k bigger.
>>2040865
>Californians are comically peaceful
we both know there's no state in america that is peaceful.
your entire culture wishes it would be like ours.
the Gulf of California is not State of California ajacent.
>>2040867
The brief period after your ban where you didn't ruin every thread you touched like an autistic faggot was nice.
>>2040867
>we both know there's no state in america that is peaceful
you know very little about americans, and 4chan isn't exactly a great place to learn about them.
but it doesn't matter. The violent ones talk the most but the peaceful ones vote the most.
>>2040875
> The violent ones talk the most but the peaceful ones vote the most.
best joke I've heard in a while.
but keep telling yourself that.
>>2040866
>it's also 140k bigger.
>what are units
>>2040875
>the peaceful ones vote the most.
you're fucking retarded
>>2040744
>human extinction is a bad thing
>>660332 →
Hey bugguy, looks like you're wanted on /out/.
>>2040383
R A R E PEPE