Honorable Mention: Porpoise With Purpose

The vaquita (meaning "little cow" in Spanish) is the world smallest porpoise and most endangered marine mammal. They also have the smallest range of any marine mammal; approximately 1500 square miles within the northern Gulf of California. Since 1997, vaquitas have experienced a detrimental population loss from approximately 600 individuals to an estimate of 10-15 animals to date. At the current rate, vaquitas are expected to become extinct right before our eyes. To preserve this critically endangered porpoise, FAU High School is collaborating on a research project to digitize the entire skeleton. Using micro-computed tomography (CT) scans, we are able to image not only the surface of the skeleton, but the internal structure of all the bones as well. These scans will persist for future research, education, and conservation efforts long after the vaquita is gone. This image is a 3D rendering of the right flipper which was preserved with soft tissue intact (lighter gray material visible between the bones). Micro-CT scans were performed at FAU High School Owls Imaging Lab.