300kg Giant Freshwater Stingray Release

On June 14th, the Wonders of the Mekong team successfully documented, tagged and released the world’s largest freshwater fish. The 661-pound endangered giant freshwater stingray surpasses the current record holder, a 646-pound Mekong giant catfish that was caught in Thailand in 2005. This is an astonishing, globally significant event and one that also holds deeper meaning because many species of giant freshwater fish face extinction. Indeed, another contender for largest fish, the Chinese paddlefish, was officially declared extinct in 2020. Finding and documenting this fish is remarkable, and a rare positive sign of hope, even more so because it occurred in the Mekong, a river that’s currently facing many challenges. The stingray was fitted with an acoustic tag which will allow the team to track its movements for the next year. The technology, which includes an array of 36 listening devices deployed along the Mekong and 3S Rivers, will enable biologists to learn more about the secr