Activists report probable dead vaquita porpoise in Mexico

In this March 12, 2019 photo released by the Sea Shepherd organization, the body of a dead animal believed to be a vaquita, a critically endangered species of porpoise, floats in the ocean after being found in an illegal totoaba net recovered by Sea Shepherd in the Gulf of California, Mexico. The environmentalist group Sea Shepherd said Thursday, March 14, 2019 that it found the badly decomposed body of what appeared to be a vaquita porpoise, one of perhaps only 10 that remain in the world. (Sea Shepherd via AP)

FILE - In this March 25, 2018 file photo released by the Sea Shepherd organization, crew members aboard the Farley Mowat pull in an illegal net used for fishing totoaba in the Gulf of California, Mexico. The environmentalist group Sea Shepherd said Thursday, March 14, 2019 that it found the badly decomposed body of what appeared to be a vaquita porpoise, one of perhaps only 10 that remain in the world. (Petey Crawford/Sea Shepherd via AP, File)

MEXICO CITY – The environmentalist group Sea Shepherd says it found the badly decomposed body of what appeared to be a vaquita porpoise, one of perhaps only 10 that remain in the world.

The group said Thursday the remains were too badly decomposed for immediate identification, but had been turned over to authorities for further study.

Two Sea Shepherd patrol boats found the animal in a net Tuesday in the Gulf of California, the only place the critically endangered vaquita marina lives.

The vaquitas get caught in nets set illegally for totoaba, a fish whose swim bladder is considered a delicacy in China.

An international commission of experts estimated this month that only 10 Vaquita remain, and almost certainly no more than 22.

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