[ti:Large Fish Thought to Have Disappeared Found in Mekong River]
[by:www.21voa.com]
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[00:00.04]Researchers say a large fish
[00:03.16]that was thought to have disappeared
[00:06.40]from Asia's Mekong River
[00:08.96]has been seen in the waterway in recent years.
[00:13.60]The fish is called a giant salmon carp.
[00:18.04]A recent study detailed
[00:20.44]the most recent sightings of the fish.
[00:23.64]The lead writer of that study
[00:26.44]said the fish was seen at least three times
[00:30.16]between 2020 and 2023.
[00:34.28]The predatory fish can grow
[00:37.12]to more than one meter in length
[00:39.60]and has an identifiable yellow spot
[00:42.84]surrounding its large eyes.
[00:45.72]The Mekong River is Southeast Asia's longest river.
[00:51.20]It passes through China, Laos, Thailand,
[00:55.72]Myanmar, Cambodia and Vietnam.
[00:59.92]About 60 million people
[01:02.60]depend on the river for food and survival.
[01:06.56]It is also an important environment
[01:09.92]for numerous river creatures.
[01:12.52]The leader of the research was Chheana Chhut.
[01:17.20]He is with the Inland Fisheries Research
[01:21.28]and Development Institute in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
[01:26.56]"The giant salmon carp
[01:29.24]is like a symbol of the Mekong region,"
[01:32.60]Chheana recently told The Associated Press.
[01:36.76]He was the co-writer with other researchers
[01:40.96]of a study announcing the findings
[01:43.88]in the publication Biological Conservation.
[01:48.00]Chheana said researchers had believed
[01:51.84]that the last confirmed sighting of the fish
[01:55.48]in the Mekong was in 2005.
[01:59.08]But since 2017, biologists
[02:03.12]following the movements of migratory fish
[02:06.32]in Cambodia developed relationships
[02:09.76]with local fishing communities.
[02:12.88]They asked people in the communities
[02:16.12]to inform them of any unusual sightings.
[02:20.08]That process led to the finding
[02:23.60]that three giant salmon carp
[02:26.64]were identified in the Mekong River
[02:29.60]and a neighboring waterway in Cambodia
[02:32.76]between 2020 and 2023.
[02:36.76]Bunyeth Chan is a researcher
[02:39.96]at Cambodia's Svay Rieng University.
[02:44.20]He helped lead the research.
[02:47.04]Bunyeth told the AP,
[02:49.52]"I was really surprised and excited
[02:52.72]to see the real fish for the first time."
[02:56.64]Researchers say the sightings
[02:59.88]give them new hope
[03:01.40]for the future of the species.
[03:03.84]Another name used for the species
[03:07.00]is "ghost fish."
[03:08.80]"This rediscovery is very exciting,
[03:12.76]positive news," said Zeb Hogan.
[03:16.24]He is a fish biologist
[03:19.12]at the University of Nevada, Reno,
[03:21.92]who was part of the research team.
[03:25.20]But the problems the fish experienced
[03:28.68]also demonstrate the dangers
[03:31.72]facing all migratory species in the Mekong.
[03:36.44]The huge river faces industrial pollution
[03:40.20]and overfishing, among other problems.
[03:43.84]Brian Eyler is director
[03:46.32]of the Southeast Asia Program
[03:48.84]at the Stimson Center in Washington, D.C.
[03:52.72]He was was not involved in the research.
[03:56.24]Eyler said one issue
[03:58.44]is that more than 700 dams
[04:01.28]are built along the river
[04:03.16]and neighboring waterways.
[04:05.56]In addition, there are very few
[04:08.56]workable "fish passages"
[04:11.12]that help species avoid obstructions.
[04:15.08]The Greater Mekong area includes Vietnam,
[04:19.24]Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.
[04:24.12]The researchers said they hope that cooperation
[04:28.52]with local communities in Thailand and Laos
[04:32.80]will permit them to confirm whether the fish
[04:36.20]also still swims in other parts of the Mekong.
[04:41.20]I'm Bryan Lynn. 更多听力请访问21VOA.COM