Female mate sought for endangered fish
Image: Mangarahara cichlid, ZSL London Zoo
Aquarists at ZSL London Zoo are urgently seeking a female mate for the remaining males of a critically endangered fish species, and have launched a worldwide appeal.
The Mangarahara cichlid is thought to be extinct in the wild after the introduction of dams dried up its habitat - the Mangarahara River in Madagascar.
Two of the only remaining individuals are residing in the zoo's aquarium, and unfortunately both are male.
Using international zoo and aquarium associations, London Zoo aquarium curator, Brian Zimmerman, has been working with colleagues at Zurich Zoo in Switzerland to track down surviving females in zoos across the world.
Having had no success, the team are now launching an urgent appeal to private aquarium owners, fish collectors and hobbyists to help them find surviving females.
Mr Zimmerman said: "The Mangarahara cichlid is shockingly and devastatingly facing extinction; its wild habitat no longer exists and as far as we can tell, only three males remain of this entire species...
“We are urgently appealing to anyone who owns or knows someone who may own these critically endangered fish, which are silver in colour with an orange-tipped tail, so that we can start a breeding programme here at the Zoo to bring them back from the brink of extinction.”
Click here to contact the team at ZSL London Zoo.
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