Indo-Pacific River environment – Mekong river

Mekong River is the longest in the Southeast Asian. It is born to 5,224 m altitude in the Tibetan plateau and flows into the Sea of South China, in Vietnan on a journey of 4,800 kilometers watering hills, mountains and jungles of six countries. Over time the alluvium carried by Mekong river, have been deposited in an shallow underwater platform forming an plain, the delta, which currently covers more than 75,000 km2.

Mekong River was declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 1957. Mekong River has a unique biodiversity. More than 20,000 species of plants and 2,500 animals, of which 1,200 are fish, depend on its waters and new species are described every year.

Animal Species

Asian small clawded otter

Aonyx cinereus

Bamboo carp

Spinibarbus denticulatus

Chinese alligator

Alligator sinensis

Common water monitor

Varanus salvator

Giant Gourami

Osphronemus goramy

Gold fish

Carassius auratus

Silver shark

Balantiocheilos melanopterus

Spotted pond turtle

Geoclemys hamiltonii

Striped catfish

Pangasianodon hypophthalmus

Thai shark

Pangasius sanitwongsei

Yellowcheek

Elopichthys bambusa