National Geographic & MegaFishes Project join FishSiam to Study GFS
The FishSiam Team has been engaged in some highly adventurous and pioneering angling on two of Thailand's wildest
and unexplored tidal rivers. In a short one year period the FishSiam Team has accounted for no less than
thirty eight (38)
individual Giant Freshwater Stingray (Himantura Chaophraya) captures with massive weights to an estimated 220kg / 484lb.
These groundbreaking captures have attracted worldwide media interest and have seen the Fishsiam Team engaged in research
with various agencies such as the MegaFishes Project and the
National Geographic Society.
The Fishsiam Team was recently joined by Stefan Lovgren and Dr.Zeb Hogan from the National Geographic news team.
Whilst filming at the Ban Pakong River the team caught a large female Giant Freshwater Stingray which was observed to
be heavily pregnant. While being held at the rivers edge the prehistoric predatory giant gave birth to a live newborn
measuring a mere 34cm. This ground breaking capture is the first documented example of a Giant Freshwater Stingray birth
in its wild and natural enviroment and a good sign for this highly understudied and obscure species. The mother and
infant were safely released together after Dr.Zeb Hogan recorded measurements and made a short scientific examination.
Recently the Fishsiam team were joined by Anglers Mail reporter and fish biologist Dr. Ian Welch.
After spending two uneventful days in search of Giant Freshwater Stingray on the record breaking Ban Pakong
River which were hampered by high water conditions the team moved to the highly prolific IT Monster Predator Lake
in Ratchaburi.
The angling journalist would go on to catch numerous predatory species on a combination of live and deadbaits with
various Redtail Catfish, Sorubim, Alligator Gars and a whole host of other predatory species picking up his freelined
baits.
As darkness was just beginning to fall, Ian's deadbait was picked up by a much larger predator which proceeded to
charge off towards the centre of the lake!
After a dogged thirty minute battle a massive Amazonian Arapaima gigas was finally netted. With a massive length
of 2.3 metres the prehistoric predatory giant was estimated to weigh 140kg's plus.
After the previous days predator success the team then visited the infamous Area 51 section of the mighty Maeklong
River in search of the elusive Giant Freshwater Stingray.
Corresponding the visit with the incoming tide it was not long before a savage take indicated the beginning of an
epic forty minute battle which would see the boat and anglers towed some 200m's upstream.
After some fraught final moments a massive Giant Freshwater Stingray was brought alongside the boat.
The monster ray was quickly transported to the riverside where scientific data was recorded.
With a gigantic width of almost two metres and a length of over 14ft from tip to tail the Giant Freshwater
Stingray was estimated to weigh a massive 150kg's setting a new Maeklong River record.
The capture of the Maeklong River record Giant freshwater stingray by Ian Welch was featured heavily throughout the
National press in the UK.
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