One of the World's ‘Most Wanted’ Lost Fish Is Rediscovered
On a vast network of rivers flowing through the jungles of Papua New Guinea, researchers have rediscovered the spinach pipefish, a relative of the seahorse, which had not been recorded in more than 40 years. The fish has long been sought after by conservationists, who feared it had gone extinct. Read more on E360 →
In a remote region of Papua New Guinea, researchers have rediscovered the spinach pipefish, a freshwater fish relative of the seahorse that had not been seen in over four decades. Conservationists feared the species had gone extinct. A two-week expedition along the Sepik River, one of the longest in the world, finally led to the rediscovery.
Researchers interviewed villagers, fishermen, and market vendors, who consistently described the missing fish as long and slender. A fisher named Helen Asu finally caught two pipefish using her traditional prawn-catching net. The rediscovery has been hailed as a success, not only for restoring hope to conservation efforts but also for highlighting the urgent need to protect freshwater fish species that are under threat from industrial activities.
Written by urgent.news from Yale Environment 360's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
