Vaquita (Phocoena sinus)
This small porpoise, found exclusively in Mexico's Gulf of California, is critically endangered with an estimated population of only 10 individuals remaining. The vaquita is threatened primarily by illegal fishing practices, specifically gillnets used to catch totoaba, a fish illegally traded for its swim bladders in Asia. Despite conservation efforts and protection measures, the vaquita population continues to decline, making it one of the most endangered species on Earth.
Extinct Animal:
Dodo bird (Raphus cucullatus)
This flightless bird was native to the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. The dodo was approximately 1 meter (3 feet) tall, with a robust body and a distinctive hooked beak. It was a terrestrial bird, with short wings that made it unable to fly. Unfortunately, the dodo was hunted to extinction by humans, along with introduced predators such as dogs, pigs, and rats, brought to the island by European explorers and colonists. The last recorded sighting of a dodo was in 1662, and the species is now considered extinct.