Cambodian biologists from Svay Rieng University have discovered a giant salmon carp in the Mekong River, which was thought to be extinct almost 20 years ago. The last time this fish was seen was in 2005. The study was published in the scientific journal Biological Conservation (BioCons).
The team collected observations provided by local fishing communities. As a result, experts received three confirmed cases of salmon carp sightings between 2020 and 2023.
According to the researchers, the discovery gives hope for the revival of this species. Biologists intend to establish contacts with fishermen in Thailand and Laos to find out whether salmon carp live in other parts of the Mekong.
The giant salmon carp is endemic to the middle Mekong River in Cambodia, Laos and Thailand. Due to overfishing and environmental degradation, its population has declined significantly. The species is currently under threat of complete extinction.
An adult can grow up to 130 centimeters and reach a weight of 30 kilograms. Due to their extreme rarity, giant salmon carp are called the “ghost fish” or “ghost of the Mekong”.
