Cambodia: The “ghost fish of the Mekong” reappears after being thought extinct

The rediscovery of the elusive giant salmon carp is a call to action to protect the Mekong and its remarkable biodiversity.

The “ghost fish of the Mekong”

After disappearing for almost twenty years, the elusive giant salmon carp (Aaptosyax grypus) has once again been spotted in Cambodian waters, reviving hopes of the species' survival and prompting calls for urgent conservation efforts to protect the Mekong River in Southeast Asia. The unusual fish, a carp with a hooked jaw and salmon-like body, had not been seen since 2005.

An international team of scientists, funded by the US Agency for International Development and working with the Cambodian Fisheries Administration, has confirmed the existence of the giant salmon carp. Three fish were caught between 2020 and 2023, a major discovery for a species that was thought to be extinct.

The research, published in the journal Biological Conservation, highlights the need for innovative conservation strategies to safeguard not only the salmon carp, but also the wider Mekong ecosystem, which has been described as a ‘fish superhighway’ and is home to some of the largest freshwater fish on the planet.

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