Souls of the Vermilion Sea
Saving the Vaquita: A Race Against Extinction in Mexico's Sea of Cortez.
The 30-min documentary that inspired the creation of Sea of Shadows.
This film explores the crisis that is occurring in the small fishing communities of the upper Gulf of California in Mexico. 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.
Vaquita, meaning small cow in Spanish, is the smallest of all cetacean species. It is a porpoise that is endemic to the northern portion of the Gulf of California, and it is currently the most endangered marine mammal on Earth. With fewer than 15 individuals likely remaining on the planet, this species is teetering on the brink of extinction. A vaquita sanctuary was created within their range, however there have been very little to no attempts to protect it.
While its certainly possible that it’s too late to save this small porpoise, it is clear that the biologists working with the vaquita have not given up. This is their story; a story about what it takes to bring a species back from the brink of extinction.
Watch the full film on Amazon Prime
Watch the full film on YouTube