Vaquita Study Guide Questions for Classrooms and Book Clubs • What do you feel is the greatest threat to vaquita? Is it gillnets? What role do economics, education, crime, politics, and culture play? • Who carries the greatest blame for the decline of the vaquita population? Who is ultimately responsible for protecting endangered species? •
In what ways is the plight of vaquita similar to that of baiji? How is it different? What are some of the universal challenges of conservation?
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What are some ways to build public awareness for a disappearing species on each of these three levels: locally, nationally and internationally? What strategies will create the strongest emotion connection for people?
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What are the pros and cons of an embargo on Mexican seafood imports to the United States? What other kinds of legislation might help make fisheries safe and sustainable? How can we convince political leaders to act in behalf of biodiversity?
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Should cetaceans be captured for species recovery programs and held ex situ for the purpose of breeding? Was the vaquita capture attempt justified? What elements led to its failure?
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How might conservation organizations bridge philosophical gaps with other organizations working to save a species? When that species is facing extinction, do they have any moral obligation to work together on solutions?
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If we could have a ten-year do-over, what would your vaquita conservation plan look like? Is there anything that could have, should have, been done differently to ensure success today?
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Do consumers have any obligation to animals caught as bycatch in the seafood industry? What is the most helpful action that people living outside Mexico can take to help the situation?
Order Vaquita: Science, Politics, and Crime in the Sea of Cortez at islandpress.org/vaquita.