There may be more coelacanths off Madagascar s coast than previously believed.
Madagascar may be a secret stronghold for coelacanths, the living fossil fish that were considered extinct until a fisherman caught one in 1938.
That incredible first specimen hailed from the coast of South Africa, but coelacanths of the same species
Latimeria chalumnae have since turned up off Tanzania, the Comoros (a group of islands off the eastern coast of Africa) and Madagascar. Now, a new review of the Madagascar fishery bycatch, or accidental catch, reveals that at least 34 confirmed specimens have been caught and that many more likely have been pulled up that never reached the attention of biologists or conservationists. Though the overall population numbers remain a mystery, the authors of the new study suspect that Madagascar may be an important habitat for coelacanths and that it may even be their ancestral home.
SAâs shark and ray list promotes biodiversityReece Reid
South Africaâs first ever dedicated checklist of sharks, rays, skates, and ghost sharks has finally been published
SOUTH Africaâs first ever dedicated checklist of sharks, rays, skates, and ghost sharks has finally been published.
David Ebert (AKA âThe Lost Shark Guyâ), a research associate at the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (SAIAB), published the checklist after undertaking the South African Shark and Ray Protection Project.
Supported by SAIAB, the project was implemented by WILDOCEANS (a programme of the WILDTRUST), and funded by the Shark Conservation Fund.
Zululand is a renowned shark territory, but this time itâs not about rugby! The list, entitled An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of South Africa, includes sharks found in and around local waters, as well as their IUCN Red List status that outlines their risk of extinction.