A giant stingray caught in waters in Thailand is the size of a typical automobile, potentially making it the largest freshwater fish ever caught. The animal is believed to weigh somewhere between 600 and 800 pounds, which could be a new world record.
The uncertainty in the weight of the animal is due to difficulties in physically weighing giant creatures such as stingrays while they are alive.
The stingray was captured on March 6 after a two-hour contest between man and fish. The giant specimen is a female, and pregnant. She was measured and found to be 14 feet long and nearly eight feet across.
"It was an incredible moment of adventure and science. Multiple people were on the rod and reel trying to pull this monster in," Jeff Corwin, who helped capture the animal, said. Corwin is the host of Ocean Mysteries, produced by ABC.
The catch was made on the Mae Klong River during filming of an upcoming episode of the reality show. The giant stingray was swimming in water 65 feet deep when she was captured.
"Potential world record freshwater fish, giant stingray, 14 feet by 8 feet! In Thailand filming for ABC's Ocean Mysteries," Corwin tweeted.
Nantarika Chansue, a veterinarian who specializes in stingrays, accompanied Corwin on the fishing expedition. Strangely enough, readings from a microchip embedded in the stingray showed that the veterinarian had captured the same creature in 2009.
Himantura polylepis is considered to be an endangered species and researchers hope this catch could assist them in protecting the animals. They are bottom-feeders that consume mussels, clams and whatever food they can find on the riverbed.
"The species has been and continues to be adversely affected in much of its range by a number of factors, including fisheries and habitat degradation or destruction. The species is taken by fishermen on the rivers in Central Thailand and the Mekong," the IUCN reported on its Red List, which tracks the status of threatened species.
A scan was taken of the stingray as she was confined within a cage in the water. This analysis revealed that the animal is pregnant, just as she was six years ago. The first time she was captured, the animal was 15 feet long and 6.5 feet wide. Apart from bite marks that may have been delivered by a male of her species, she appeared to be in healthy condition.
It is uncertain how long individual stingrays can live, but this one is likely between 30 and 40 years old.
After being caught about an hour from the nation's capital city of Bangkok, the giant animal was released in her native water.
