Cambodia: A spectacular capture of a ray in Mekong

Fishermen had gone to Mekong to tease the fish, but did not expect this: four meters long and 180 kg. It is a giant stingray, one of the largest freshwater fish in the world. Freshwater stingray is a protected species that is threatened by overfishing, pollution and habitat loss.

The fish were released after being weighed by scientists from the “Wonders of the Mekong” project at the scene. Last week in the province of Stung Tren (Northern) accidentally caught a ray when it swallowed a small fish that snatched the hook.

The Mekong (4350 km long), one of the longest rivers in Asia, is home to the world’s most important aquatic biodiversity after the Amazon, with more than 1,000 species of fish. Giant specimens such as the giant catfish or giant barbell can reach three meters and weigh up to 300 kg.

According to scientists, the river, which reaches a depth of 80 meters in places, can clog even larger species. It is full of “invisible and hidden ecosystems,” Zeb Hogan, an American biologist at the University of Nevada and director of the US-funded “Wonders of Mekong” project, said in a statement.

Essential to the survival of millions of people in Southeast Asia, the Mekong and its wildlife are threatened by dozens of dams built on the river and its tributaries in China, Laos and Cambodia. Pollution is another source of concern. Plastic debris can also be found in the deeper parts of the river, as well as “ghost nets” that have been lost or abandoned by fishermen.