Freshwater giant stingrays some as big as cars found dead in Thailand's Mae Klong river. Experts have pointed some of the causes of these mysterious deaths.
The deaths of these stingrays are alarming enough for the experts who put these animals on their watch list. Giant freshwater rays are considered endangered by International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Scientists said that their information on these animals are limited. They need to study their biology and population.
Thai officials admitted that the area where the dead stingrays were found are slightly acidic. They can not however confirm if that is related to their deaths.
Other causes of death had recently been proven of recent spillage of treated molasses and ethanol
in nearby plant. Others believe that fishermen in the area may have intentionally killed the rays with cyanide. The rays are considered nuisance by some fishermen. They are not too good to eat and they tend to damage fishing gears.
These mega rays are threatened with pollution, chemical spills and dams in their natural habitat.
Hogan, a professor of biology at the University of Nevada, Reno
and the Monster Fish
host of Nat Geo Wild said, "One thing is clear: a reduction of pollution from surrounding factories is needed to improve the health of the river and save the stingrays in the long term."
He hopes that the International coverage on this matter will help put more measures in protecting this incredible fish.
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