The International Whaling Commission (IWC) issued its first 'extinction alert' for the endangered vaquita porpoise, a species teetering on the edge of extinction with a mere 10 individuals remaining in the Gulf of California, Mexico.

The IWC said the first extinction alert had been issued on August 7 "to encourage wider recognition of the warning signs of impending extinctions, and to generate support and encouragement at every level for the actions needed now to save the vaquita".

The vaquita, world's smallest porpoise and native to Mexico's Gulf of California, has experienced a devastating population decline, plummeting from approximately 570 in 1997 to just around 10 individuals by 2018, as per the findings of IWC's scientific committee.

This decline is intrinsically linked to gillnet fishing, primarily in pursuit of the totoaba fish, valued for its swimbladders in Chinese cuisine. The illegal global trade in totoaba fish, found in the same waters, has further complicated conservation efforts by perpetuating gillnet fishing.

The Mexican government has faced mounting pressure to curb this devastating practice. In May, the US interior secretary declared that Mexico has failed to halt the illegal wildlife trade threatening the vaquita, but a trade embargo was ruled out by the US government in July.

"There are about 10 surviving animals and the IWC is speaking out now because it believes extinction is not yet inevitable... the Scientific Committee of the IWC, comprising of around 200 world-leading scientists have recently reached the sombre conclusion that a new mechanism is needed to voice extinction concerns for an increasing range of cetacean species and populations," IWC said in a statement.

"The decline of the vaquita has continued despite a very clear understanding of both the cause (bycatch in gillnets) and the solution (replacement of gillnets with safe alternatives in the vaquita habitat," the extinction alert said. Though the situation is dire, the IWC believes that the extinction of the vaquita can still be averted.

"Despite the very low number of surviving animals, 100 percent enforcement of a ban on gillnets in their core habitat would still give this small but resilient porpoise a chance of recovery," IWC further said.

"The Committee points to lessons that can be learned, particularly the need for early and multi-disciplinary actions that look beyond the immediate conservation concern to address wider factors, but today their focus is the clear, single action needed now to save the vaquita," it added.