Thursday June 1, 2023
The Phnom Penh Post —
Scientists have asserted that the tracking of giant Mekong stingray “Boramey”, the largest freshwater fish ever caught, has produced valuable data that will contribute to the protection of the species.
A May 30 press release by the Wonders of the Mekong research project said the one-year tracking of Boramey’s movements has uncovered clues that it hopes will save the endangered giant fish, and the Mekong River where it dwells.
The press release explained that for the past 12 months, in collaboration with the Fisheries Administration, scientists have been tracking the world record-breaking ray, after it was caught and released in June last year. An acoustic tag was fitted to the huge fish before it was released in Stung Treng province.
The discovery of the 300kg monster – whose name translates as full moon, in Khmer – led to the USAID-funded Wonders of the Mekong project to launch a new initiative to study and protect one of the largest, most mysterious creatures on the planet.