China launches project to save critically endangered bahaba fish

Chinese scientists have unveiled a groundbreaking conservation initiative to protect the critically endangered Chinese bahaba, a species on the brink of extinction. This is reported by China Daily, a partner of TV BRICS.

The project, based in Huidong County, Guangdong Province, aims to restore the population of this rare fish, also known as the yellow-lipped fish, which has faced a dramatic decline in the wild over the past 50 years.

Recognised as a first-class national protected animal in China since 2021 and listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Chinese bahaba is a symbol of the urgent need for biodiversity preservation.

The conservation project focuses on developing state-of-the-art species detection tools, monitoring and evaluation systems, and breeding techniques to enhance stock and support wild population recovery. It also aims to establish a comprehensive framework for the species’ conservation, ensuring long-term sustainability.

The project brings together leading institutions to address the challenges of protecting the Chinese bahaba and other endangered marine species, such as the narrow-ridged finless porpoise and the Chinese horseshoe crab.

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