![]() The team that rushed to the site inserted a tagging device near the tail of the mighty fish before releasing it. So about 70% of giant freshwater fish globally are threatened with extinction, and all of the Mekong species.” They're impacted by things like habitat fragmentation from dams, obviously impacted by overfishing. "A lot of these big fish are migratory, so they need large areas to survive. So if they're fished before they mature, they don't have a chance to reproduce," Hogan said. In particular, scientists fear a major program of dam building in recent years may be seriously disrupting spawning grounds. It is home to several species of giant freshwater fish but environmental pressures are rising. The Mekong River runs through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. "The fact that the fish can still get this big is a hopeful sign for the Mekong River, " Hogan said, noting that the waterway faces many environmental challenges. The stingray's catch was not just about setting a new record, he said. government's international development agency.įreshwater fish are defined as those that spend their entire lives in freshwater, as opposed to giant marine species such as bluefin tuna and marlin, or fish that migrate between fresh and saltwater like the huge beluga sturgeon. The university is partnering with the Cambodian Fisheries Administration and USAID, the U.S. "Yeah, when you see a fish this size, especially in freshwater, it is hard to comprehend, so I think all of our team was stunned," Wonders of the Mekong leader Zeb Hogan said in an online interview from the University of Nevada in Reno. Local residents named the stingray "Boramy," which translates to "full moon," after the giant stingray's round shape and because the moon was on the horizon when the stingray was freed on June 14.The scientists arrived within hours of getting a post-midnight call with the news, and were amazed at what they saw. Once tagged and measured our big girl was let back into the wild to swim about. Because all of the giant fish finds have been female, they think this may be a spawning hotspot for some species of fish. ![]() Researchers are saying that this is the fourth giant stingray reported in the same area in the past two months. The previous record for biggest freshwater fish was a 646-pound Mekong giant catfish, which was discovered in Thailand in 2005. Surprisingly enough, the recent giant discovery isn’t the first discovered in the Mekong River. ![]() So about 70 percent of giant freshwater fish globally are threatened with extinction, and all of the Mekong species." They’re impacted by things like habitat fragmentation from dams, obviously impacted by overfishing. So if they’re fished before they mature, they don’t have a chance to reproduce." Hogan also added that "A lot of these big fish are migratory, so they need large areas to survive. Hogan told AP News that "Big fish globally are endangered. Scientists were amazed at what they saw, and according to a caption on the Wonders of the Mekong Instagram account, "This is an astonishing, globally significant event and one that also holds deeper meaning because many species of giant freshwater fish face extinction." The Mekong River runs through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, and according to Wonders of the Mekong leader Zeb Hogan, it’s a wonder that a fish could grow to such a large size, especially because the waterway faces many environmental challenges. The device will send tracking information for the next year, providing new data on giant stingray behavior in Cambodia. Once scientists arrived, they proceeded to measure and insert a tagging device near the tail of the fish. After capturing the fish, the fisherman alerted a nearby team of scientists from the Wonders of the Mekong project. The stingray was caught by a local fisherman in northeastern Cambodia. The ray weighs a whopping 661 pounds according to a statement Monday by Wonders of the Mekong, a joint Cambodian-US research project. The world’s largest freshwater fish was just caught in Cambodia, according to scientists.Įarlier this month, Cambodian and American scientists reported finding a 13-foot giant stingray in the Mekong River.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |