They discover the largest freshwater fish in the world: a 300-kilo stingray
The giant freshwater stingray is an endangered species
A 300kg stingray caught in Cambodia’s Mekong River is the largest freshwater fish ever documented, experts say.
The animal dethroned a giant catfish of 293 kg caught in Thailand in 2005.
Although there is no official record or database on giant freshwater fish, scientists are confident in their discovery.
The river Mekongwhere it was found, is a place rich in biodiversity, but overfishing, dams and pollution threaten its fragile ecosystem.
It flows from the Tibetan Plateau through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
“In 20 years of investigating giant fish in rivers and lakes on six continents, this is the largest freshwater fish we have found or have been documented anywhere in the world,” he said. zeb hoganbiologist who directs Wonders of the Mekongan organization of the United States Agency for Development (USAID).
Scientists claim that the ray found is the largest freshwater fish ever documented.
“Finding and documenting this fish is important, and a positive sign of hope, even more so because it happened in the Mekong, a river that currently faces many challenges,” added Hogan, who is also a professor at the University of Nevada (USA). ).
The conservation project works with the Cambodian Fisheries Administration. They have established a network of fishermen who alert researchers if they catch giant or endangered fish.
borami
On the night of June 13, a local fisherman on the island of Koh Preah called to tell investigators that he had caught a “very large” ray.
It turned out to be a fish 3.98 m long and 2.2 m wide.
The ray was returned to the river after being identified for tracking.
After placing an acoustic tag on it to track its future movement, the ray was released back into the river.
He disappeared into the muddy waters of the Mekong after dark, Hogan said.
In the local language, the fish is called “Boramy”which means full moon.
“The finding of the ray is evidence that the natural world can still produce new and extraordinary discoveries, and that many of the largest aquatic creatures remain woefully understudied“, added the expert.
Endangered
The giant freshwater stingray is an endangered species.
The newly discovered animal is the second examined by the team since May; the previous one weighed 181 kg.
“When record fish are found, it means the aquatic environment is still relatively healthy. This is in contrast to what we’ve seen in places like the Yantzé River, where scientists reported the extinction of the Chinese paddlefish,” Hogan explained.
“The deep pools of the Mekong contain life far beyond these impressive giants. Spawning in this critical habitat produces billions of fish each year that ensure food security and livelihoods for millions of people in Cambodia and Vietnam,” he said. .
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The giant freshwater stingray is an endangered species
A 300kg stingray caught in Cambodia’s Mekong River is the largest freshwater fish ever documented, experts say.
The animal dethroned a giant catfish of 293 kg caught in Thailand in 2005.
Although there is no official record or database on giant freshwater fish, scientists are confident in their discovery.
The river Mekongwhere it was found, is a place rich in biodiversity, but overfishing, dams and pollution threaten its fragile ecosystem.
It flows from the Tibetan Plateau through China, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.
“In 20 years of investigating giant fish in rivers and lakes on six continents, this is the largest freshwater fish we have found or have been documented anywhere in the world,” he said. zeb hoganbiologist who directs Wonders of the Mekongan organization of the United States Agency for Development (USAID).
Scientists claim that the ray found is the largest freshwater fish ever documented.
“Finding and documenting this fish is important, and a positive sign of hope, even more so because it happened in the Mekong, a river that currently faces many challenges,” added Hogan, who is also a professor at the University of Nevada (USA). ).
The conservation project works with the Cambodian Fisheries Administration. They have established a network of fishermen who alert researchers if they catch giant or endangered fish.
borami
On the night of June 13, a local fisherman on the island of Koh Preah called to tell investigators that he had caught a “very large” ray.
It turned out to be a fish 3.98 m long and 2.2 m wide.
The ray was returned to the river after being identified for tracking.
After placing an acoustic tag on it to track its future movement, the ray was released back into the river.
He disappeared into the muddy waters of the Mekong after dark, Hogan said.
In the local language, the fish is called “Boramy”which means full moon.
“The finding of the ray is evidence that the natural world can still produce new and extraordinary discoveries, and that many of the largest aquatic creatures remain woefully understudied“, added the expert.
Endangered
The giant freshwater stingray is an endangered species.
The newly discovered animal is the second examined by the team since May; the previous one weighed 181 kg.
“When record fish are found, it means the aquatic environment is still relatively healthy. This is in contrast to what we’ve seen in places like the Yantzé River, where scientists reported the extinction of the Chinese paddlefish,” Hogan explained.
“The deep pools of the Mekong contain life far beyond these impressive giants. Spawning in this critical habitat produces billions of fish each year that ensure food security and livelihoods for millions of people in Cambodia and Vietnam,” he said. .
Now you can receive notifications from BBC World. Download the new version of our app and activate it so you don’t miss out on our best content.
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