The giant salmon carp became extinct in 2005. At least, that’s what experts thought. People have now spotted the fish in Asia’s Mekong River—three times!

The Mekong flows through six countries: China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. It’s home to a wide variety of freshwater creatures. Many communities in Southeast Asia rely on its resources. River water helps farmers grow rice. Fish provide the region’s main source of protein.

But those fish face many perils. Pollution clogs the waters. Overfishing cuts down aquatic populations. Over 700 dams are built along the river and its tributaries (smaller branches). Those dams make it difficult for fish to migrate. 

Now the so-called “ghost fish” offers a glimmer of hope.

That’s one nickname for the Mekong’s giant salmon carp. It disappeared nearly 20 years ago. Scientists thought the species had completely died out.

In 2017, researchers tried a new tactic. They started working with local fishermen in Cambodia. They asked the fishermen to report unusual fish sightings. That’s how they found three giant salmon carp.

How do you spot a giant salmon carp? The fish lives up to its name. It can grow to four feet in length. A bright yellow patch surrounds each eye. It has a knob at the tip of its lower jaw. It’s also a predator, feeding on other fish.

“This rediscovery is very exciting, positive news,” says biologist Zeb Hogan.

But wait. Why is it good news for a predator to return? Won’t eating other fish just worsen the river’s problems?

God designed ecosystems to have a careful balance. Natural predators belong in their habitats. They can prevent other species from growing out of control. That’s why invasive species—like hammerhead worms—can become so harmful. They have no natural predators.

That’s not the only reason this carp offers hope. If the “ghost fish” lives, maybe other fish can survive. 

In His hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind. — Job 12:10