Moul Thun, a 42-year-old fisherman, caught a giant stingray measuring nearly 4 meters long and weighing around 300 kg on the evening of June 13 near a remote island on the Mekong River in the Stung Treng region, according to a statement from Wonders of the Mekong (a collaborative research project between Cambodia and the United States) on June 20.
The research team noted that the previous record for the largest freshwater fish in the world was a giant Mekong catfish weighing 293 kg, discovered in Thailand in 2005.
After catching this unprecedented large stingray, Moul Thun alerted the team of scientists from Wonders of the Mekong, who have widely publicized their conservation efforts in communities along the river.
Cambodian fisherman catches the world’s largest freshwater fish in the Mekong River. (Photo: AP)
The stingray is taken to shallower waters for experts to examine and tag. (Photo: Nokorwat News Daily)
The stingray is identified as female, weighing 300 kg. (Photo: AP)
Scientists quickly arrived after the midnight call and were astonished and delighted. Zeb Hogan, the head of Wonders of the Mekong, told the AP news agency in an online interview from the University of Nevada (USA): “Seeing a fish of this size, especially in freshwater, is hard to believe. Everyone on our research team was very stunned.”
Local authorities and experts collaborated with local fishermen to weigh, tag, and release the giant stingray back into the Mekong River. The stingray was identified as female, weighing 300 kg, with a length from the snout to the tail of 3.98 m and a width from fin tip to fin tip of 2.2 m.
Local residents nicknamed the stingray “Boramy” or “full moon” due to its shape and because when the creature was released on June 14, the Moon was on the horizon.
The giant freshwater stingray is one of the rarest and largest fish species in Southeast Asia. (Photo: AP)
According to expert Hogan, catching the giant stingray not only sets a new record. He emphasized: “The fact that fish can still reach such large sizes is a hopeful sign for the Mekong River.” He also noted that this waterway faces numerous environmental challenges.
The Mekong River flows through countries including China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. It is home to several species of giant freshwater fish, but environmental pressures are increasing. Many scientists are concerned that plans to build large hydropower dams in recent years could severely disrupt the spawning grounds of these creatures.
Hogan stated: “Large fish globally are facing extinction risks. They are high-value species that take a long time to grow. Therefore, if they are caught before reaching maturity, they will have no chance to reproduce.”
|
Researchers noted that this is the fourth giant stingray recorded in the same area in the past two months, all of which have been female. They believe this may be a breeding hotspot for the species. Khmer Times reported that in early May, fishermen in Stung Treng also caught a giant freshwater stingray weighing 180 kg. The giant freshwater stingray is one of the rarest and largest fish species in Southeast Asia. |
