Massive stingrays may live in Mekong’s deep pools
US scientists have suggested that unexplored deep pools in the Mekong River in an area of Stung Treng could potentially be home to significant populations of giant freshwater stingrays, one of the world’s largest freshwater fish species.
This comes as a fisherman hooked a 180kg stingray in the Mekong last week, and a rescue team documented and released the specimen back into river unharmed, an incident which the scientists said highlights the area’s global significance.
The endangered giant freshwater stingray, nearly 4m in length, was hooked by the fisherman from a small island community in the middle of the Mekong River on May 5 in Siem Bok district’s Koh Preah village and commune.
“The catch, together with other data collected by a recent scientific expedition to the area, suggests that the remote site – which is characterised by pools up to 260 feet [79m] deep and is essential habitat for such iconic animals as Irrawaddy dolphins and giant softshell turtles – could also be home to the world’s largest freshwater fish,” the University of Nevada’s Reno campus said in a press release on May 10.
Ry Sochan
