Big rays with cars die mass on Thai river

Giant freshwater rays are likely to die due to water pollution in the Mae Klong River, Thailand.

More than 70 individuals belong to the giant freshwater stingray species (Himantura polylepis) , many are nearly as big as a car, died on the Mae Klong River, Thailand in the past few weeks, according to National Geographic channel explorer Zeb Hogan. This series of stingrays is worrying because there are very few giant rays. This is a species listed in the endangered list of the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

A giant freshwater stingray is caught on Mae Klong River, Thailand.(Photo: Ocean Mysteries).

Thai authorities are studying the bodies of rays to find out the cause of their deaths.The water of the Mae Klong River , where the rays are found, has a slightly higher acidity than normal.

Some environmentalists suspect that the ethanol production plant discharges into the river, causing stingrays to be poisoned. Many others believe that they die from cyanide poisoning used by fishermen to catch more precious fish in the river.

Fishermen rarely hunt giant freshwater rays because their meat is not delicious. They are too big and too strong, so they often ruin fishing. Although not the target of hunting, sometimes stingrays die because of being caught in the net of fishermen. They are also threatened by pollution, oil spills and dams that separate habitats.

"It is clear that it is necessary to reduce pollution from surrounding factories to improve river conditions and to save rays in the long term," said Hogan.