Vaquita porpoise receives first high‑resolution 3D digital archive

The vaquita (Phocoena sinus), the world’s smallest porpoise with fewer than ten individuals remaining in the northern Gulf of California, faces imminent extinction due to illegal fishing nets. Researchers from Florida Atlantic University, the San Diego Natural History Museum, SeaWorld California and NOAA Fisheries have created a detailed digital archive of a rare vaquita skeleton. Using medical CT, high‑resolution micro‑CT and digital photography, they produced precise three‑dimensional models that capture the specimen’s overall structure and bone micro‑texture.

All data and 3D files have been released for free on the open‑access platform MorphoSource, allowing scientists and students to study the animal without handling the fragile original. The archive is intended for education, research and the production of 3D‑printed replicas. While the digital resource expands knowledge of the critically endangered species, its survival in the wild still depends on coordinated international actions to eliminate illegal fishing gear in its habitat.