A stunning discovery was made by Cambodian villagers on the Mekong River, who captured what experts believe to be the largest freshwater fish ever recorded. The extraordinary stingray weighed an incredible 661 pounds (around 300 kilograms) and required the strength of approximately a dozen men to reel it in to the shore.
Named Boramy, which means “full moon” in the Khmer language due to her spherical shape, this four-meter (13-foot) female stingray was set free back into the river after being fitted with an electronic tag, enabling scientists to monitor her movements and behavior.
Biologist Zeb Hogan, previously the host of the “Monster Fish” show on the National Geographic Channel and now part of the Wonders of the Mekong conservation project, expressed his excitement at the discovery, stating, “This is very exciting news because it was the world’s largest (freshwater) fish. It is also exciting news because it means that this stretch of the Mekong is still healthy. It is a sign of hope that these huge fish still live here.”
Boramy’s impressive size allowed her to claim the title from a 645-pound (293-kilogram) giant catfish captured upstream in northern Thailand back in 2005.
After a fisherman hooked the stingray, an endangered species, Wonders of the Mekong was contacted for assistance in tagging the ray before releasing it back into the river.
The Mekong, which is recognized by its River Commission as having the third-most diverse fish population in the world, has seen a decline in stocks due to overfishing, pollution, saltwater intrusion, and sediment depletion.
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