The approximate wild population of the vaquita porpoise as of 2023 was about 10 individuals. The vaquita, or *Phocoena sinus*, is the world's smallest cetacean and lives only in the northern Gulf of California in Mexico. Its extremely restricted range makes every death especially serious.
A 1997 survey estimated roughly 567 vaquitas, but the population fell rapidly to about 150 by 2007 and fewer than 19 by 2018. The main threat is accidental entanglement in gillnets, particularly those used illegally to catch totoaba, a fish whose swim bladder is highly valuable in some markets.
The figure of 10 is an estimate, not an exact headcount. In 2023, sources described as few as 10 animals in the wild. Later surveys have reported a small range of observed individuals, but limited survey areas and the vaquita's movements make precise counting difficult. Common mix-ups include confusing the vaquita with the larger harbor porpoise or assuming that a captive-breeding program has established a secure population; conservation efforts have focused primarily on protecting the last wild animals.