The Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) confirmed the sighting of between seven and 10 vaquita porpoises and the birth of new calves during the 2025 Vaquita Marina Observation Cruise.
From May to September 2025, two interconnected research projects were conducted to update data on vaquita location, population estimates, and reproductive activity. One project used acoustic detectors, collecting thousands of days of data across areas where vaquitas had been observed since 2015 to update information on their distribution and abundance. The second project, the Vaquita Marina Observation Cruise, combined acoustic and visual methods to estimate total numbers, identify calves and juveniles, and determine reproduction using an expert elicitation method.
Pedro Álvarez-Icaza, Commissioner, CONANP noted that for three consecutive years, scientific information shows no substantial decrease in the vaquita population and that the species continues reproducing. “All the information from this monitoring allows us to take directed inspection and surveillance actions; we will do everything necessary as a government to conserve this species,” he said.
Julián Escutia, Executive Director, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, added that the organization will continue doing everything possible to save the vaquita marina, working with the Mexican government and local and international allies to defend its habitat and take necessary protection actions.
The research involved several government agencies and local groups from San Felipe, Baja California, including 17 local youths trained in visual monitoring methods who contributed to observation efforts. The results show no decline of the magnitude reported in earlier years, when the population reportedly decreased by 45% in a single year. The Mexican government and Sea Shepherd Conservation Society reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen conservation strategies and actions for the vaquita marina.