Top 12 giant fish species in danger of extinction

Having a body size of 3 meters long and a mass of more than 180kg, Arapaima (Shadow Dragon) is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world and the largest fish in the Amazon River in particular and South America in general. Sea statue dragon Also known as the “Amazon River Monster” because of his large size. Currently, the number of this fish species is being seriously reduced due to rampant fishing and its economic and food value. Species Sea statue dragon are in danger of extinction.

Sea lion fish can reach lengths of more than 2 m (6,6 ft), there are even species longer than 2,5 m (8,2 ft) with a weight of up to 100 kg (220 lb). The maximum detected weight is about 200 kg. It is one of the most desirable fish to be found in South America with its use as food, usually caught mainly with a racket when caught for export, and with a trident and spear if consumed domestically. land. Therefore, in the wild, it is extremely rare to find those with a length of over 2m.

Wallago catfish They are carnivorous fish, their large gray body, slightly hunched back and large jaws for hunting underwater. They are distributed in rivers from Pakistan to Vietnam, the size of a catfish of this type It can grow up to 2 meters when mature. Currently, in India, illegal poaching is making this fish at risk of extinction.

Tapah catfish (Scientific name: Wallago leerii) is a species of catfish in the family Siluriidae of the order Siluriformes, native to Southeast Asia. This large fish, which can grow up to 2m (6 ft 7 in) long and weigh up to 95 kg (209 lb), was used as food by ancient indigenous inhabitants. In Malaysia, this giant Tapah catfish can weigh up to 100 kg and is very difficult to catch. Tapah catfish Known locally as the mystical fish, it can weigh up to 100 kg. Tapah fish is a common species still found in major rivers and lakes in Malaysia, usually weighing 1 to 3 kg. There are many mysterious stories about this fish. But the giant Tapah is very rare nowadays. This large fish is almost extinct because of water pollution caused by logging and overfishing.

This catfish lives in the Uttarakhand region of India, they have a massive body with sharp teeth and long mustaches, this fish is known to be the cause of attacks on swimmers. on the Kali River of India in the years 1998 – 2007. To date, the number of this species is in serious decline. The size of a Goonch catfish can be up to 2 meters and weigh 90 kg. This large fish is considered to be the culprit behind the attacks on swimmers in the Kali River, India between 1998-2007. Giant red-tailed catfish in Rewa River, Guyana can reach up to 45 kg in weight.

Goonch is a giant, carnivorous catfish that lives in fast-flowing rivers in many Asian countries, especially in the rapids of rivers originating in the Himalayas and the main tributary of the upper Mekong. Although quite healthy and aggressive, the number of this fish species is declining sharply because of increasing pollution levels in the rivers.

Found in the rivers of Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia and Brazil, the red-tailed catfish has a white belly, small spotted back and haughty red tail. This fish is a favorite of sport fishing, with the world record recorded by Brazilian fisherman Gilberto Fernandes.

This man caught a fish weighing up to 56 kg. Red tail catfish Juveniles are actively hunted for pet fish. They can reach a weight of up to 65 kgCurrently, this fish is in dire need of human protection to avoid extinction.

White sturgeon Giant is a large fish, they can reach 450 kg and 4,5 meters long. This is one of the largest fish species in North America, found in the Fraser River (Canada) and Sacramento River, California (USA). This silver-colored Laoif is being severely reduced in numbers due to human damming activities. Dam construction is the main threat to this species. The biggest threat to North American white sturgeon are dammed fish that block water, causing the river to divide and leading to a decline in white sturgeon populations due to a decrease in food availability and changes in habitat. Some white sturgeon who used to swim upstream to avoid saltwater intrusion, now trapped by dams blocking the water.

The largest freshwater fish in the world and classified as a critically endangered and near-extinct species hunted by people for eggs is the Kaluga sturgeon. This fish has a maximum growth length of up to 5-6m and an average weight of 400kg. Even some children reach a weight of up to 1 ton as an adult.

Fish fry is a large carnivorous catfish, living mainly in Asia, especially in the Himalayan rapids, the main area and major tributaries of the Mekong River… Currently, the number of this fish is very small and The existence of this fish is also threatened by environmental pollution in rivers in Asia.

Giant fried fish is the subject of man-eating catfish stories in India. Many Indians believe that the bodies are buried in the river and then become food for this fish. However, there is still no evidence to prove the species giant fried fish eat dead bodies. Besides, overfishing makes very few individuals fish fry reach a large size to be able to eat food the size of a human.

Vampire Fish Scientific name Hydrolycus scomberoides, is a species of freshwater predatory fish. They are found in the Amazon Basin, the eastern border of its range being the Tapajós River. It is the first described of four species in the genus Hydrolycus. Vampire Fish famous for its sharp teeth, especially the two lower canines that look very long and pointed. It is also understandable for the name of this giant fish. The size of this fish can reaches 1,17 meters in length and weighs up to 17,8 kg.

Many people are often confused and think that this fish is much smaller in size because there are species that look like vampire fish. Vampire Fish It is an extremely ferocious predatory fish. It is even known as the most aggressive freshwater fish in the world. However, the sad thing is that their numbers are declining rapidly due to habitat loss and overfishing by humans. Vampire Fish or the Mekong giant barramundi are among the world’s largest fish species that are threatened mainly by damming and overfishing.

Catfish There are many species, and the yellow catfish is also in danger of extinction. They are found in the Paraná River in Argentina. A golden catfish here can grow size up to 1,4 meters and weight 50 kg. This fish lives on the bottom surface and hunts small fish at night. Golden Catfish (Scientific name: Ameiurus natalis; natalis, Latin, meaning “big butt”) is a species of catfish in the North American catfish family Ictaluridae, distributed in North America including the United States, range vi is distributed throughout the central and eastern United States from central Texas, north into North Dakota, and east through the Great Lakes region to the East Coast. In Minnesota, they are found across the eastern and central parts of the state. They are considered a small sport fish, they can also be included in highly contaminated lines because of their high susceptibility to contamination.

Golden Catfish are bottom dwellers, living in areas with mud, rock, sand, or clay substrates, its habitats include river pools, and present sluggishly on soft or lightly rocky surfaces in creeks, small to large rivers, and shallow parts of lakes and ponds, their habitat can vary from a slow body of water with low oxygen, and heavily polluted water to a faster water pace present with clean water and it is clear that there is aquatic vegetation. Fishermen often find them in slow-moving creeks and gravel-bottomed rivers.

A fish whose size also makes other fish admire is Mekong giant catfish. Hearing the name is enough to imagine that their living area is in the legendary Mekong River, they have a very large and flat head, a wide mouth with two long antennae in the upper jaw, small dorsal and pelvic fins extending to the caudal fin. . An adult catfish can reach 3 meters in size and weigh 300 kg. In the lower reaches of the Mekong River, especially in Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand, the status of these fish species is decreasing significantly. Giant Mekong River Pangasius recorded in the Red Book of Vietnam and the Red Book of UICN.

“Large dams have a catastrophic impact on river life. For example, species Mekong giant catfish The size of an adult grizzly bear is threatened by a series of dams built downstream; dams will block the migration flow to their spawning grounds, leading to a very high risk of extinction,” added Mr. Hogan, who has studied the fish for 20 years.

Potamotrygon motoro also known as the Ocellate river stingray, is a species of freshwater stingray in the family Potamotrygonidae. It is the first described species in this family and also the most widespread, spreading throughout the Río de la Plata, Amazon, Mearim and Orinoco basins in tropical and subtropical South America. It is sometimes kept in aquariums. The fish has a flat and round body, a short and strong tail. The dorsal surface is yellow-brown to dark yellow with yellow spots with black edges. This fish also has many other body colors (orange, marble, black, blue…) with many spotted shapes. Stingray Potamotrygon motoro inhabits the Paraná River in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela and tributaries of the Amazon River. Potamotrygon motoro has the weight of a stingray can reach 15 kg.

Currently, human hunting combined with dam construction and environmental pollution have caused this fish to decrease in numbers. Giant stingray Potamotrygon motoro in the Paraná River in Argentina can grow to one meter in length and 15 kg in weight. According to arkive.org, this species of stingray is widely distributed, found in rivers in Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Venezuela and tributaries of the Amazon. Hydroelectric dams and environmental pollution are the main threats to this fish.

paddlefish is a large fish, related to sturgeon, found in the Missouri River, Montana (USA), they can grow up to 1,8 meters and weigh 90 kg. Human activities such as the construction of dams cause this fish to lose its migration and spawning flows, so their numbers are endangered at an alarming rate.

paddlefish aka American spoon sturgeon, Polyodon spathula, also called the Mississippi spoon sturgeon is a species of spoon sturgeon that lives in the slow flowing waters of the Mississippi River basin system. They have a very distinctive shape with a pointed tip protruding forward. It appears to be extinct at Lake Erie and its tributaries. This fish is closely related to the sturgeon. This large freshwater fish can grow up to 220 cm long and weigh up to 100 kg. The name paddlefish in English because it has a special snout shaped like a paddle. They are believed to use the sensitive electrical receptors of its paddle beak to detect prey, as well as to navigate while moving to spawn. They mainly feed on zooplankton but also on crustaceans and bivalves.

Species Stingray freshwater habitat and distribution in the river systems of Thailand, Borneo, New Guinea and northern Australia. The size of a stingray of this type can reach up to 5 meters and weigh 600 kg. The construction of dams and human fishing are making this fish lose its habitat and are in danger of extinction. This fish is listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). “More than 70% of the world’s giant freshwater fish (including the giant stingray) are at risk of extinction. It’s imperative that we study and save them from these threats. dams and overfishing,” Hogan said.

Freshwater stingray Giants are now threatened by dams, fishing and water pollution. This is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world, however information about this species is still very little. No one knows for sure how many are left giant stingray remains in the world, as well as not knowing the preferred habitat of this fish. Species giant stingray is thought to have emerged from the earth many millions of years ago and has not changed much to this day. They often bury themselves in the sandy or muddy bottoms of rivers.