Detecting freshwater fish that disappeared suddenly for nearly 50 years

Turkish researchers have rediscovered a species of freshwater fish that hasn't been seen in nearly 50 years.

Turkish biologists have rediscovered populations of critically endangered Batman river eel in two streams in southeastern Turkey, the last time the tiny freshwater fish has been seen in years. 1974 and was the first species to be rediscovered in the list of 10 most sought-after missing fish species.

This tiny freshwater fish was last seen since 1974.

Cüynet Kaya, an associate professor at Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, said: 'When I first heard about the project Searching for Sudden Missing Fishes, I was delighted. Moreover, 1 of the 10 most sought after missing fish species has been distributed in my country. It is a very different feeling when you see foreign naturalists interested in a species endemic to your country. I thought I should give my best to this project, and fortunately, our efforts paid off when we found a small population of the critically endangered Batman River Deer, which once disappeared suddenly decades ago, since 1974'.

Expedition teams have searched the river below the historic Malabadi bridge and lower reaches of the Batman River, where the fish was first discovered, many times over the decades since the last sighting of the fish. the Batman River, but all was unsuccessful.

The new population of Batman river slugs appears to be stable.

After analyzing potential locations where the Batman River Deer could survive, Kaya and Oral instead focused their search on Sarim Springs, upstream from Batman Dam.

On December 10, 2021, the team visited the stream and other headwaters of the Batman River, where the shallow, rocky, and fast-moving waters are a preferred habitat for this fish. Kaya and Oral search for streams using tightly woven nets to prevent the Batman River from sliding through. They eventually found 14 fish in Sarim stream and another 9 in Stream stream.

Kaya and Oral say the new population of the Batman river eel appears to be stable, but they are concerned about the effects of pollution, drought and invasive species, stressing that more research is needed to understand it. for more information about the total distribution of this rare fish. 'The hope now is that we can secure a future for it,' said Cüynet Kaya.