Close Menu
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    TopBuzzMagazine.com
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube LinkedIn TikTok
    • Home
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Music
    • Fashion
    • Books
    • Science
    • Technology
    • Cover Story
    • Contact
      • About
      • Amazon Disclaimer
      • Terms and Conditions
      • Privacy Policy
      • DMCA / Copyrights Disclaimer
    TopBuzzMagazine.com
    Home»Science»Astonished fishers reel in gigantic 400-pound stingray in Cambodian river
    Science

    Astonished fishers reel in gigantic 400-pound stingray in Cambodian river

    By AdminMay 15, 2022
    Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    Fishers in Cambodia recently received a massive surprise when they reeled in a gigantic 400-pound stingray. The hefty ray was dragged up from the murky depths of the Mekong River after it swallowed a fish that had already been snagged on the fishers’ line. 

    The monstrous ray, which has been identified as a giant freshwater stingray (Urogymnus polylepis), was accidentally caught by locals on May 5 in the Stung Treng province in northeastern Cambodia. The fishers immediately alerted team members from the Wonders of the Mekong project — a conservation group run by the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), in collaboration with local fishing authorities — who helped remove the fishing line and measure the ray before safely releasing it back into the river.

    The massive specimen weighed a hefty 397 pounds (180 kilograms) and measured 6 feet (1.9 meters) wide and 13 feet (4 m) in length including its whip-like tail, which terminated in a 6 inch (15 centimeter) venomous, serrated barb, UNR representatives said in a statement.

    Giant freshwater stingrays are the world’s largest stingray species and “are contenders for the title of world’s largest freshwater fish,” Zeb Hogan, a UNR fish biologist and director of the Wonders of the Mekong project, told Live Science. 

    Related: 7-foot ‘monster’ sturgeon found in Detroit River could be over 100 years old 

    Little is known about these remarkably large fish because “catches are almost never reported,” Hogan said, “which also makes it difficult to determine true abundance or population trends.” 

    However, past reports suggest that individuals can grow even bigger than this behemoth. “The size of this stingray was surprising,” Hogan said. “But what’s more surprising is that it’s dwarfed by accounts of [individuals] twice the size reported by fishermen in the same area.” 

    The current record-holder for the largest fish in the Mekong River — which flows through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam — is a 646-pound (293 kg) Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas) that was caught in Thailand in 2005, Hogan said. Giant freshwater stingrays can likely grow larger than this, he added. In 2009, a giant freshwater stingray caught in Thailand was estimated to weigh between 550 and 770 pounds (249 and 349 kg) but was never officially weighed. 

    Image 1 of 3

    The 400-pound giant freshwater stingray in the net. (Image credit: Wonders of the Mekong project)Image 2 of 3

    The team measure the stingray on land to establish an accurate body length. (Image credit: Wonders of the Mekong project)Image 3 of 3

    The team take pictures with the ray before releasing it into the river. (Image credit: Wonders of the Mekong project)

    The largest freshwater fish in the world are beluga sturgeon (Huso huso); these enormous fish, which are found in Russia, can reach a maximum length of more than 26 feet (8 m) and weigh up to 2.2 tons (2 metric tons).

    The Mekong River is also home to a number of other large aquatic species, including Irrawaddy dolphins, giant softshell turtles, Mekong giant catfish, giant barbs (a type of carp), giant goonch catfish and giant sheatfish (another type of catfish), according to the statement. “This remote and relatively pristine stretch of the Cambodian Mekong River appears to be the last place on Earth where all of these iconic giant freshwater species live alongside one another,” Hogan said.

    These giant species are able to grow to extreme sizes because the Mekong River has a wide variety of different habitat types including deep pools, braided channels, sand bars and islands that “provide refuge and space for the species to grow,” Hogan said. Historically, the Mekong River is one of the “most productive rivers in the world” and would have provided an abundance of food for larger animals, he added.

    However, the health of the Mekong River has seriously declined in recent decades due to water pollution, overfishing and habitat fragmentation due to river developments, such as dams, Hogan said. As a result, giant freshwater rays are now listed as endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of endangered species.

    Originally published on Live Science.

    Read The Full Article Here

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

    Related Posts

    How to photograph your microscope specimens

    June 21, 2025

    Sea spiders ‘farm’ methane-eating bacteria on their bodies

    June 21, 2025

    How phages spread Salmonella virulence genes

    June 20, 2025

    Mathematicians discover a completely new way to find prime numbers

    June 20, 2025

    Cold sore virus immediately reshapes our genome to boost its growth

    June 19, 2025

    Global carbon emissions on track to exhaust 1.5°C budget in three years, study warns

    June 19, 2025
    popular posts

    The Cheap and Easy Basic Literally Every Celeb Wears With

    The 11 Best Dip Powder Nail Kits For Salon-Level Results

    Lotte Reiniger and the hidden women of animation

    Katy Perry on Doing Couple’s Therapy With Orlando Bloom and

    The Marvels: Brie Larson Talks Captain Marvel’s MCU Absence

    Margot Robbie Dressed Like a 1960s Evening Barbie for the

    Brian Johnson Statue Unveiled Where He First Played With AC/DC

    Categories
    • Books (3,240)
    • Cover Story (2)
    • Events (18)
    • Fashion (2,409)
    • Interviews (43)
    • Movies (2,540)
    • Music (2,818)
    • News (154)
    • Science (4,390)
    • Technology (2,533)
    • Television (3,262)
    • Uncategorized (932)
    Archives
    Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest YouTube Reddit TikTok
    © 2025 Top Buzz Magazine. All rights reserved. All articles, images, product names, logos, and brands are property of their respective owners. All company, product and service names used in this website are for identification purposes only. Use of these names, logos, and brands does not imply endorsement unless specified. By using this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

    We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
    Do not sell my personal information.
    Cookie SettingsAccept
    Manage consent

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
    CookieDurationDescription
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
    cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
    viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
    Functional
    Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
    Performance
    Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
    Analytics
    Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
    Advertisement
    Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
    Others
    Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
    SAVE & ACCEPT