Aussie researchers declare fish species extinct after 'major threat' to city's waters
A single specimen of the fish was bought at a market more than 160 years ago and it hasn't been seen since.
An Australian-led team has declared an elusive stingray-like creature, not seen in a generation, is now extinct.
The only known specimen of a Java Stingaree was bought from a fish monger in Indonesia in 1862 and then preserved.
Charles Darwin University PhD student Julia Constance worked with international researchers to examine whether any other individuals had been purchased from markets, and how the destruction of its coastal habitat would have impacted the species.
“Intensive and generally unregulated fishing is likely the major threat resulting in the depletion of the Java Stingaree population, with coastal fish catches in the Java Sea already declining by the 1870s,” Constance said.
“The northern coast of Java, particularly Jakarta Bay where the species was known to occur, is also heavily industrialised, with extensive, long-term habitat loss and degradation.”
Countless other fish may also be extinct
Proving an animal is extinct is a painstakingly slow process. Many species listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as critically endangered or extinct in the wild that haven’t been sighted for years are likely extinct.
With at least 120 marine fish listed as critically endangered, the university’s Dr Peter Kyne described the extinction of the Java Stingaree as a “warning sign” to protect the world’s marine creatures.
“We must think about appropriate management strategies like protecting habitat and reducing overfishing while also securing the livelihoods of people reliant on fish resources,” he said.
In the Australian state of Tasmania, the stingray-like maugean skate is believed to be on the verge of extinction due to runoff from salmon farms in its Macquarie Harbour home.
Freshwater fish under threat
In its 2023 Red List of threatened species, the IUCN placed a particular focus on fish, revealing that a quarter of freshwater species are now threatened with extinction.
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Co-chair of the IUCN’s freshwater fish specialist group, Kathy Hughes, warned these species must be protected for the billions of people who rely on them.
“Ensuring freshwater ecosystems are well managed, remain free-flowing with sufficient water, and good water quality is essential to stop species declines and maintain food security, livelihoods and economies in a climate resilient world,” she said.
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