River Catfish Release | National Geographic

Wow what we have here this is the

Wow what we have here this is the biggest river catfish pan gasps Tina

biggest river catfish pan gasps Tina

biggest river catfish pan gasps Tina dawn hypothalamus that I have ever seen

dawn hypothalamus that I have ever seen

dawn hypothalamus that I have ever seen this fish weighs almost 70 pounds and is

this fish weighs almost 70 pounds and is

this fish weighs almost 70 pounds and is almost 5 feet in length it’s a really a

almost 5 feet in length it’s a really a

almost 5 feet in length it’s a really a huge fish beautiful fish this fish is

huge fish beautiful fish this fish is

huge fish beautiful fish this fish is also known as the iridescent shark

also known as the iridescent shark

also known as the iridescent shark catfish because of its shape its shaped

catfish because of its shape its shaped

catfish because of its shape its shaped a little bit like a shark and sometimes

a little bit like a shark and sometimes

a little bit like a shark and sometimes when it swims on the surface it’ll raise

when it swims on the surface it’ll raise

when it swims on the surface it’ll raise its dorsal fin and it’ll look quite a

its dorsal fin and it’ll look quite a

its dorsal fin and it’ll look quite a bit like a shark as it swims along this

bit like a shark as it swims along this

bit like a shark as it swims along this fish was caught here in the totally SAP

fish was caught here in the totally SAP

fish was caught here in the totally SAP river in Cambodia and these fish move

river in Cambodia and these fish move

river in Cambodia and these fish move out of the tonlé sap lake every year

out of the tonlé sap lake every year

out of the tonlé sap lake every year and into the Mekong River we believe to

and into the Mekong River we believe to

and into the Mekong River we believe to to complete their spawning migration to

to complete their spawning migration to

to complete their spawning migration to complete their lifecycle the head on

complete their lifecycle the head on

complete their lifecycle the head on this thing is the same size as my head

this thing is the same size as my head

this thing is the same size as my head and this almost rivals the size of some

and this almost rivals the size of some

and this almost rivals the size of some of the smaller Mekong giant catfish that

of the smaller Mekong giant catfish that

of the smaller Mekong giant catfish that I’ve seen these fish have a very

I’ve seen these fish have a very

I’ve seen these fish have a very delicate skin no scales and they have a

delicate skin no scales and they have a

delicate skin no scales and they have a slime layer that protects them from

slime layer that protects them from

slime layer that protects them from infection we’re tagging and releasing

infection we’re tagging and releasing

infection we’re tagging and releasing these fish to learn about their behavior

these fish to learn about their behavior

these fish to learn about their behavior so this fat fish has an individual

so this fat fish has an individual

so this fat fish has an individual numbered tag it’s fish 3385 so this is

numbered tag it’s fish 3385 so this is

numbered tag it’s fish 3385 so this is the 3,000 fish that we’ve tagged in the

the 3,000 fish that we’ve tagged in the

the 3,000 fish that we’ve tagged in the last four years and what we’re doing is

last four years and what we’re doing is

last four years and what we’re doing is we release these fish back into the

we release these fish back into the

we release these fish back into the Tonle Sap River so they can continue

Tonle Sap River so they can continue

Tonle Sap River so they can continue their migration and then if a fisherman

their migration and then if a fisherman

their migration and then if a fisherman somewhere downstream catches this fish

somewhere downstream catches this fish

somewhere downstream catches this fish again we learn where where it’s moved by

again we learn where where it’s moved by

again we learn where where it’s moved by this individual identification number

why hold so now we’ve uh now we’re in

why hold so now we’ve uh now we’re in the middle of the river we want to

the middle of the river we want to

the middle of the river we want to release this fish away from the bank so

release this fish away from the bank so

release this fish away from the bank so that it doesn’t get caught again and

that it doesn’t get caught again and

that it doesn’t get caught again and also want to make sure it can swim on

also want to make sure it can swim on

also want to make sure it can swim on its own I’m gonna hop in seems to be

its own I’m gonna hop in seems to be

its own I’m gonna hop in seems to be swimming pretty well really nice big

swimming pretty well really nice big

swimming pretty well really nice big fish just needs a few seconds to get

fish just needs a few seconds to get

fish just needs a few seconds to get acclimated to the river water again so

acclimated to the river water again so

acclimated to the river water again so we release the fish and it disappeared

we release the fish and it disappeared

we release the fish and it disappeared and just saw it jump once and then go

and just saw it jump once and then go

and just saw it jump once and then go back down so it’s all we can do a little

back down so it’s all we can do a little

back down so it’s all we can do a little naked