porpoise71's blog

Porpoises return to endangered list The porpoise has been listed as an endangered species by the United States government, due to their dwindling population. The marine mammals had been taken off of the list in 2016, but new data from the National Marine Fisheries Service has shown that their numbers have continued to decline. "The decision to relist the porpoise is based on the best available science, which shows that the population has declined by more than 97 percent since the 1950s and continues to decline," said a statement from NOAA Fisheries. There are estimated to be only around 6,000 harbor porpoises left in the world, and they are found mainly in the eastern North Pacific. Habitat degradation and vessel strikes are among the main threats to their survival. Porpoises are often killed when they get caught in fishing gear, and their lungs can collapse if they are brought up too quickly from deep water. In recent years, NOAA Fisheries has worked to reduce ...