Chinese Paddlefish
Chinese Paddlefish, Psephurus gladius , also known as Chinese Swordfish, are among the largest freshwater fish. It is one of two extant paddlefish species, the other being the American Paddlefish. It is also called “elephant fish” because its snout resembles an elephant trunk. More poetically, it is sometimes referred to as the “Giant Panda of the Rivers”, not because of any physical resemblance to a panda, but because of its rarity and protected status.
paddlefish
Wei Qiwei has discovered the spawning grounds for the Chinese Paddlefish are being destroyed by dams built on the Yangtze River. The Gehzouba hydroelectric dam was completed in 1983 and it divides the Yangtze River into two sections. This dam cuts off the migratory route of the Chinese Paddlefish. The feeding areas of these fish are located in the middle and lower sections of the Yangtze River. When Chinese Paddlefish go to spawn, they swim to the upper part of the Yangtze but now the dam has limited their access. No young Chinese paddlefish have been seen in the wild since 1995, and there have been no sightings of a wild Chinese paddlefish of any size since 2003—leading many to fear that the megafish is already extinct. Chinese paddlefish are thought by many to be the world’s largest freshwater fish, with reports of individuals reaching a mind-boggling 23 feet (7 meters) in length and weighing half a ton (450 kilograms). They have long, silver-gray bodies, very large mouths, and a long, wide snout that resembles a paddle. The snouts contain sensors that help them locate the small fish and crustaceans they survive on.
chinese paddlefish
The Paddlefish had been a popular catch for Yangtze fishermen due to their huge size and apparently succulent flesh. They were often served in the past at the Imperial Court to the emperor. The predators feed on other fish, as well as small amounts of crab and crayfish.
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