Trailer for "Sea of Shadows" the fight to save the VAQUITA !!!!!

[rwsanders]

https://www.firstshowing.net/2019/official-trailer-for-porpoise-rescue-documentary-sea-of-shadows/

For those who may not have a background on this issue, a few points:

1. The Vaquita is a unique, shy, beautiful porpoise who is a one of a kind. There are only a few left, current estimates say less than 10. This isn't losing a regional population of a species with a broader range, vaquitas are only found in the Gulf of California. They are so shy, they were only seen by scientists in the 1970's and few pictures exist that are not of dead vaquitas.

2. The best thing for the vaquita and the fisherfolk would be a NO GO reserve. Research has shown that marine reserves IMPROVE fishing in the surrounding waters.

3. Species with historically low populations DO NOT have the inbreeding problems that result in other species that experience genetic bottlenecks. The current hypothesis is that all deleterious genes have been eliminated.

4. EXTINCTION IS FOREVER!!

5. Sea Shepherd needs your help.

6. This is NOT a historic fishery, as fishermen came to the area primarily to fish for the totoaba to send to the Chinese. In the past the fish were left to rot while the bladders were shipped.

7. Fishing gear that is safe for the vaquita does exist and sustainable catch should be supported so the fisherfolks can make a living. The government of Mexico has held back from permitting the new gear (reasons unknown).

[rwsanders]

1. I have a hypothesis about the vaquita's markings

So, I have a hypothesis about the markings on the vaquita.
I noticed that other tropical species have dark markings around the eyes (sloths are the one I remember), so I was thinking the dark around the eyes might protect them from glare like the paint under a football players eyes.
But why the other parts of the body?
Well we have a small sailboat and we keep it in the water which means we have to use a bottom paint. Well the paint tends to wear in areas of high turbulence such as the front of the keel, front of rudder, waterline. So I was going to paint it this year with the assistance of my children (there are water-based bottom paints now) and was going to joke about painting a "vaquita stripe" on the boat and realized the markings may be dark around the mouth and fins to protect areas that have a lot of wear (skin loss) from the sun. "Sunscreen" so to speak on areas where skin might be more sensitive.
Just a thought.

[rwsanders]

2. Photo trial

[appalachiablue]

3. Kick