Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas).
Image: Cool critter channel, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Fish
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- FaunaHub record reviewed
- Checked against IUCN
- Matches source — IUCN's 2011 global assessment of Pangasianodon gigas says Critically EndangeredChecked 2026-10-09 against IUCN's Red List export published 2026-07-28 · assessment
Conservation overview
The Mekong giant catfish is one of the largest freshwater fish in the world, a huge, scaleless catfish of the Mekong. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
It migrates long distances along the river and has become extremely rare.
Range & habitat
The Mekong River basin 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.
- Dams blocking migration
- Overfishing
- Habitat change and reduced flow
Why it matters
A giant of one of the world's great rivers, the Mekong giant catfish is a flagship for keeping the Mekong connected and healthy for migratory fish and the people who depend on them.
Gallery
Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas).
Image: Cool critter channel, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
Sources for Mekong Giant Catfish
- IUCN Red List — look up Mekong Giant Catfish (authoritative status)
- FishBase