International Save the Vaquita Day – July11, 2015 This year,Saturday, July 11, 2015 has been designated as the Third Annual InternationalSave the Vaquita Day!! This is intendedto be an annual event similar to Earth Day, but with a specific focus onraising awareness and appreciation of the world’s most endangered marinemammal, the vaquita (Phocoena sinus). Events around the globe will direct the attention of people to the plight ofthis tiny porpoise species, and what needs to be done to save it fromextinction. There will be booths, games, music, free prizes, educationalbrochures, talks, face painting, and several life-size models of vaquitas onhand to draw attention to and appreciation of the vaquita, Mexico’s “Panda ofthe Sea”. The primarygoal is to make as many people as possible aware of the vaquita and its plight,and spur them to act. The species is nearly extinct, with only about 80individuals left, and is declining at almost 19% per year! We will have asimple message for folks about what they can do to help (either full supportfor the Mexican Government, or support for a boycott and embargo of Mexicanseafood – depending on Mexico’s actions in the next month or so). Secondary goals are to gather signatures for our petitions to the Mexicangovernment, and also to raise additional funds for future educational andresearch work on the vaquita. The event is designed to be fun, as well aseducational, and kid-friendly! Last year,there were 18 venues, in the United States, Mexico, Australia, andEurope. In 2015, we hope to have booths at all the same venues, plus manynew ones. We will also have the participation of zoos, aquaria, andmuseums (for example, Sea World, Long Beach Aquarium, San Diego Zoo, and SDNatural History Museum). We also hope to attract media attention, so thatthe vaquita is covered on national and local news, thereby greatly expandingthe number of people exposed. Please checkour website regularly<http://www.vivavaquita.org/international-save-the-vaquita-day.html> tolearn the latest on the activities planned and venues details. We hope you will attend (or better yet,volunteer at) an event in your area. Tom Jefferson/ VIVA Vaquita sclymene@aol.com