At a glance
- IUCN category
- EN · Endangered
- Animal group
- Fish
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Matches source — IUCN's 2021 global assessment of Urogymnus polylepis says EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The giant freshwater stingray is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world, a huge ray with a long venomous tail spine. It is assessed as Endangered.
It lives buried on the beds of large rivers.
Range & habitat
Large rivers and estuaries of Southeast Asia.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Overfishing and bycatch
- Habitat degradation
- Dams and pollution
Why it matters
A river giant that is rarely seen, the giant freshwater stingray is a flagship for the health of Southeast Asia's great rivers and their megafauna.
Sources
Sources for Giant Freshwater Stingray
- IUCN Red List — look up Giant Freshwater Stingray (authoritative status)
- FishBase
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is the giant freshwater stingray?
It is among the largest freshwater fish on Earth, with a body disc that can be around two metres across and a total length, including the tail, that is much greater.
Why is the giant freshwater stingray Endangered?
Published assessments cite overfishing and bycatch, habitat degradation, and dams and pollution in its river systems. See the IUCN Red List. Its tail bears a venomous spine, so it should never be handled.