Everyday Biophilia

  The International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List has nine categories and criteria for the evaluation of Earth’s biodiversity: Not Evaluated, Data Deficient, Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild and Extinct. With each passing day it seems more and more animals fall within the category of “Critically Endangered.” One of those animals is the diminutive vaquita ( Phocoena sinus ). The smallest member of the cetacean family, this tiny porpoise is the most critically endangered marine animal in the world. Population estimates put its numbers at a total of perhaps 10 individual animals. Vaquita live only in the northern Gulf of California, the Sea of Cortez, Mexico, making them the only porpoises that live in warm waters. Very little is known about them because, like other species of porpoise, they are extremely shy and flee (wisely) at the first sign of boats or other human activity. Scientists have been able...