Published
Video length: 4 min
Brazil: discovering Pirarucu, giant of Amazonian waters
It is a prehistoric fish which was threatened with extinction a few years ago: the Pirarucu. It can weigh more than 200 kilos. Reporting. – (France 2)
It is a prehistoric fish which was threatened with extinction a few years ago: the Pirarucu. It can weigh more than 200 kilos. Reporting.
In the heart of the largest tropical forest in the world, on winding rivers, for more than ten days and tirelessly, a group of fishermen have been searching for the giant of the Amazonian waters. The species almost disappeared 30 years ago. In the 1990s, the government declared it endangered. Only the inhabitants of these traditional communities have the right to fish. Very strict quotas and only a few weeks per year. The fight between fishermen and this fish can last for hours. It can weigh up to more than 200 kilos.
Still threatened by illegal fishing
Thanks to these fishing quotas, in two decades, the number of fish has increased from 1,500 to 170,000 individuals. A growing population which is a very good environmental indicator for researchers. The surrounding forests are among the rare ones not to have suffered fires in recent years. But the Pirarucu is still threatened by illegal fishing.
