Over 1100 species of fish live in the Mekong River. It is the second richest river for fish biodiversity on the planet.
Mother of the rare and the giant
The critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphin, Orcaella brevirostris, photographed at Kratie Province in north-east Cambodia. The Mekong dolphin population is estimated at 70 individuals inhabiting a 190km stretch of the Mekong River between Cambodia and Laos.
An abundance of life rivalled only by the Amazon
The Mekong, its floodplains and tributaries support huge collections of unique flora and fauna including, critically endangered freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins, the world’s largest freshwater fish – the Giant freshwater stingray - giant turtles, Mekong giant catfish, waterbirds, and Siamese crocodiles.
River of giants
The Mekong is one of the last large rivers in the world that still has active natural floodplain that nurtures an extremely high numbers of fish species, including some of the world’s largest.With over 1300 species of fish, the Mekong River is the world’s most productive inland fishery. Providing livelihoods to 60 million people, this fishery accounts for up to 25% of the global inland catch, providing up to 80% of all animal protein in to the people of the Mekong River basin. Fisheries in the Mekong River are worth 2.5 billion USD per year to the countries of the Mekong.
Many of the species in the Mekong are endemic. Many are super-sized. Among the species of the Mekong are some of the world's most charismatic fish including four to the world's largest:
- Giant freshwater stingray Himantura chaophraya Up to 600kg
- Mekong giant catfish Pangasianodon gigas Up to 350kg
- Giant pangasius Catlocarpio siamensis Up to 300kg
Endangered species
Beyond fish, the Mekong basin is also home to a tremendous diversity of endangered species such as: - Irrawaddy dolphin Orcaella brevirostris
- the Giant Ibis Pseudibis gigantea
- Siamese crocodile Crocodylus siamensis
Mekong giant catfish
Giant freshwater stingray or Freshwater whipray (Himantura chaophraya). The disk of this fish measured 202cm and 413cm from the tip of its nose to the end of its tail. Himantura chaophraya may be the largest species of freshwater fish in the world. More species of giant fish occur in the Mekong River than in any other river on earth. Populations of the giant stingray and other large-bodied Mekong fish are in decline.Mekong River near the Cambodia/Vietnam border December 14, 2002
