#fish #arms #threatened #extinction #population #individuals
Jakarta –
The already very rare population of red handfish is threatened with extinction forever. How could it not be, the population in the wild, which previously numbered around 100 individuals, has shrunk to only 75 individuals.
This change was caused by the loss of 25 individual red handfish being cared for at the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) in Australia. Fortunately conservationists acted quickly, they obtained special permission from the Australian government to relocate these individuals from their natural habitat.
The red handfish is a unique member of the anglerfish family. He can distinguish himself in various ways.
One of its distinctive features is the absence of a swim bladder, an organ common to most fish that is used to control buoyancy. Instead, they rely on their large, hand-like fins, using them to “walk” on the sea floor.
This strange creature is relatively small, only about 8 cm long, smaller than an e-money card. Their appearance is characterized by pink, red, or brown colors, coupled with a mouth that is always angry and looking down.
“If you’ve never seen a handfish before, imagine dipping a frog in brightly colored paint, telling a sad story, and forcing it to wear gloves that are a size too big,” said a handfish conservancy describing the rare fish.
But the uniqueness of the red handfish is more than just its appearance. This species is extremely rare, with an estimated remaining population in the wild of no more than 100 individuals. Their habitat is limited to two small areas of coral reef located southeast of Hobart, Tasmania.
Unfortunately, the region is under constant threat from a variety of sources, including ship traffic, ports, urban development, pollution, nutrient runoff, invasive species, and the adverse impacts of climate change.
One aspect that differentiates the behavior of red handfish is the way they move. Instead of swimming, they walk along the sea floor.
However, this adaptation limits their ability to avoid threats, as they cannot cover significant distances quickly. Additionally, they do not have a larval stage during early development, preventing them from drifting through the ocean to colonize new areas.
The most pressing concern for red handfish habitat is the loss by overfishing of native sea urchins. When combined with the forecast marine heatwave, the situation becomes even more worrying.
Red handfish do not have a swim bladder, an organ common to most fish that is used to control buoyancy. Instead, they rely on large fins that resemble hands. Photo: Jemina Stuart-Smith
“Habitat degradation means the loss of shelter and microhabitats, creating disconnected habitats that make it increasingly difficult for handfish to adapt to water temperature stress.” explained Dr. Jemina Stuart-Smith, a researcher at IMAS who co-leads the university’s redhanded fish research and conservation program.
“Our temperature data from the site shows that this summer has already exceeded previous maximum temperatures. It is currently experiencing unprecedented high temperatures, so we can only assume that this additional stressor will impact the higher temperature population. it’s fragile.” he continued.
In response to this worrying development, experts held an emergency workshop to determine the best course of action. After careful assessment of the available data and associated risks, they took the decision to relocate 25 individual red handfish from the wild to IMAS Taroona for protection and care.
The future of the red handfish remains uncertain. Even so, environmental conservationists work tirelessly to protect this endangered species in the face of increasing environmental threats, as reported by Thebrighterside.
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(afr/afr)
