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This Shark Is So Rare, There's Not a Photo of One Living
Newser • • world
Key Points:
- The Ganges shark, one of only three river shark species globally, is critically endangered and has never been photographed alive, with only about 240 adults estimated to remain.
- Historically known from rare accidental catches, the last documented sighting near the Ganges River was in 2017, highlighting its extreme rarity and obscurity.
- Researchers have identified a new stronghold for the species in Indonesia's North Kalimantan, where a fisherman accidentally caught 17 Ganges sharks in a week, exceeding global sightings in the past 20 years.
- Surveys have since recorded 43 individuals in the Sesayap River, leading experts to designate the area as an "Important Shark and Ray Area" and call for fishing regulations to prevent extinction from bycatch.
- Conservation efforts are urgent due to threats from the expanding fish maw trade, which risks wiping out this critically endangered shark population.
