(CLO) Six giant catfish, known as giant catfish, a highly endangered species and one of the largest and rarest freshwater fish in the world, have been caught and released back into the Mekong River in Cambodia.
Six giant catfish weighing up to 130 kg have just been caught, a species on the brink of extinction. They were caught for research and conservation purposes, and have now been released back into the Mekong River. Scientists estimate that there are only a few hundred catfish left in the world.
Image of 1 of 6 giant catfish. Photo: USAID
The USAID-funded conservation group Wonders of the Mekong said catching so many giant catfish in just five days was “unprecedented.”
“By tagging these fish, we will gain important information about their ecology, migration routes and habitats to help protect them in the future,” said biologist Zeb Hogan.
According to the IUCN Red List, the current population of Mekong giant catfish has no exact information, but it is estimated to have decreased by about 80% in the past 13 years.
Today, the Mekong giant catfish is only found in certain sections of the Mekong River and its tributaries. However, they once lived along the entire 4,900 km length of the river – from its mouth in Vietnam to its headwaters in Yunnan Province, China.
The Mekong River, one of Southeast Asia's most important rivers, has long been heavily impacted by activities such as illegal fishing, habitat destruction and water pollution from plastic waste.
In addition, hydroelectric dams and climate change have had devastating impacts on the Mekong River ecosystem, causing the habitat of the giant catfish to degrade, directly threatening the survival of this species.
Ha Trang (according to USAID, BN, DW)
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/phat-hien-6-con-ca-tra-khong-lo-sap-tuyet-chung-tren-song-mekong-post325673.html
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