Finland conducts study on vaquita population in Baltic Sea with six coastal states

Finland is conducting a study on the distribution and population size of the vaquita, with participation from six other Baltic Sea coastal states. The primary method of observation is acoustic monitoring, and citizens are encouraged to report any visual sightings of the vaquita. Recordings of the echolocation signals produced by the vaquita will be collected using a standardized method at over 200 research sites across the Baltic Sea. The year-long study will continue until June 2025.

Based on the collected data, estimates of the vaquita population in the central Baltic Sea will be generated along with updated distribution maps, according to Olli Loisa, a specialist at Turku University of Applied Sciences overseeing Finland’s participation in the project. An accurate understanding of the vaquita’s habitat is essential for effective and targeted conservation efforts.

The vaquita is the only whale species regularly found in the Baltic Sea. Typically measuring 145 to 160 centimeters in length and weighing between 50 to 60 kilograms, the vaquita has a distinctively short and rounded shape. Its small head lacks the pronounced snout seen in many dolphin species. Vaquitas usually move either alone or in small groups but are often mistaken for far more numerous seals.

In Finland, this endangered species can be found in the open waters south of the Åland Islands and the Archipelago Sea, and occasionally in coastal waters from the Gulf of Bothnia to the Gulf of Finland. Anyone spotting a vaquita can report it through an online form provided by the Natural History Museum of Finland. Including a photo or video can help experts assess uncertain sightings. If a vaquita is found caught in nets but unharmed, it should be released carefully. Any deceased vaquita should be reported to the Natural Resources Institute using the online form.