They discover the largest freshwater fish in the world: the 300-kilogram stingray
image source, The wonders of the Mekong River
Giant freshwater stingrays are an endangered species
Experts say the 300kg stingray fish caught in Cambodia’s Mekong River is the largest freshwater fish ever documented.
remove the animal from its throne a giant catfish 293 kg caught in Thailand in 2005.
Although there is no official record or database about the giant freshwater fish, scientists are confident of 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 twenty years of investigating giant fish in rivers and lakes on six continents, these have been the largest freshwater fish we have found or documented anywhere in the world,” he said. Zeb Hogana biologist who manages The wonders of the Mekong RiverIt is an affiliate of the United States Agency for Development (USAID).
image source, The wonders of the Mekong River
Scientists claim that the found ray is the largest freshwater fish ever documented.
“Finding and documenting this fish is important, and a positive sign of hope, especially because it occurred 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 Department of Fisheries. They have created a network of fishermen who alert researchers if they have caught a giant or endangered fish.
Burami
On the night of June 13, a local fisherman on the island of Koh Preah called to tell investigators he had caught a “very huge” ray.
It turned out to be a fish with a length of 3.98 meters and a width of 2.2 meters.
image source, The wonders of the Mekong River
The beam was returned to the river after it was identified for tracking.
After marking it with a soundtrack to track its future movement, the beam was shot back into the river.
Hogan said he disappeared into the muddy waters of the Mekong River after dark.
In the local language, it is called a fish “Borami”which means full moon.
“The discovery of the ray is evidence that the natural world can still produce new and extraordinary discoveries, and that Many of the largest aquatic organisms remain unfortunately unstudied‘ added the expert.
endangered
The giant freshwater stingray is an endangered species.
The newly discovered animal is the second the team has examined since May. His predecessor 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 Yanzi River, where scientists have reported the extinction of the Chinese paddlefish,” Hogan explained.
“The deep ponds of the Mekong River contain life far beyond these impressive giants. Spawning in this vital habitat produces billions of fish every year that ensure food security and livelihoods for millions of people in Cambodia and Vietnam,” he said.
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