Scientists just caught a giant, 800-pound stingray in Thailand. And according to researchers, the car-sized sea creature may just be the largest freshwater fish on record.

Researchers have a nickname for the giant ray: “the big one”. The massive creature weighed roughly 800 pounds and has since been released back into the Mae Klong River.

Nantarika Chansue, one of the researchers involved in the catch, said the stingray measured 4.3 meters long. Jeff Corwin, host of the television series Ocean Mysteries, says the catch was an “incredible moment of adventure”. Adding to the excitement of the event, researchers discovered that the creature was pregnant with two foetal rays after performing an ultrasound.

The stingray outweighs two of the previous largest stingrays on record, which weighed approximately 693-pounds. It even beat out the Mekong giant catfish, which is listed as the world’s largest freshwater fish in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Giant stingrays are a critically endangered species, so the catch brought some hope to nature conservationists. An embedded microchip in the giant stingray revealed that the creature had been caught six years ago. The fact that the creature has survived and is now pregnant is hopeful news for the endangered species.

The Mekong giant catfish and giant stingrays both face extinction due to habitat destruction, oil spills, dams, and in the case of the catfish, overfishing.

Thanks to Chansue, who is also a professor at the University of Bangkok, and Zeb Hogan, a biology professor at the University of Nevada, the giant stingray’s critical endangerment has been brought to light. Chansue and Hogan have been working on the program for more than a decade. The catch in Thailand marks the seventh giant stingray the two have caught.

When Chansue catches endangered fish, she tags them with a microchip and releases them back into the wild. The tag allows scientists to study species growth rates and lifespan, which are both largely unknown.

-- 2015-03-14

"Released back into the river". Good for them. At first I expected them to serve it up for lunch.

A pic of the actual stingray would have made this story.

Not the random stingray shown.

A pic of the actual stingray would have made this story.

Not the random stingray shown.

Here ya go. I trust that Mr Corwin, who seems to be struggling a bit, did not overly spook the expectant mother.

The 800lb number is a guesstimate, but she measured 14ft X 8ft.

Nice to read that they re-released the giant stingray

but once again we are reading about more endangered species in Thailand due to lack of conservation

When will the Thai people all wake up and realize once gone there is no way back

The Beluga Sturgeon is the largest freshwater fish in the world by a long way and the freshwater stingray in Thailand is third on the list.

http://www.conservationinstitute.org/10-largest-biggest-fresh-water-fish-in-the-world/

A lot of people come to Thailand to specifically target this fish and Jeremy Wade on "River Monsters" managed to catch some.

The Giant Mekong Catfish is stocked in many Thai fishing ponds even up here in Isaan but is certainly endangered in the wild.

"Released back into the river". Good for them. At first I expected them to serve it up for lunch.

They probably would have, but could not find a wok big enough.

Oh..... Cricky... as Steve Irwin would say....

does that go well with somtam ?

A pic of the actual stingray would have made this story.

Not the random stingray shown.

OK I'll do it for you (edit had not seen someone did it already)

Nice to read that they re-released the giant stingray

but once again we are reading about more endangered species in Thailand due to lack of conservation

When will the Thai people all wake up and realize once gone there is no way back

I'll give it my best shot which is to say probably not in my lifetime and maybe not in yours.

"When will the Thai people all wake up and realize once gone there is no way back"

It all begins with the education system, which is woefully lacking here.

​I wish the Thai people luck and success but they have to make it happen for themselves!

Awesome!

A pic of the actual stingray would have made this story.

Not the random stingray shown.

Its actually a Bat Ray that is pictured not a Stingray

A pic of the actual stingray would have made this story.

Not the random stingray shown.

Here ya go. I trust that Mr Corwin, who seems to be struggling a bit, did not overly spook the expectant mother.

The 800lb number is a guesstimate, but she measured 14ft X 8ft.

GiantStingRay.jpg

FYI, That pic is not the one caught. This one is from a TV series and certainly is not 14' across.

Scientists just caught a giant, 800-pound stingray in Thailand. And according to researchers,

the car-sized sea creature may just be the largest freshwater fish on record.

At a wharf on Brampton Island, the ferry that was heading to the wharf to pick us up stopped

about 6meters from us, turned the engines off, i saw all the crew including the captain run

out of the cabin and everyone was looking down into the water,, what the <deleted> says i, as i

also look into the water i see a stingray slowly glide under the ferry and slowly swim away

without any fear or hurry, i congratulate the captain for his respect of the wildlife but what

struck me about this stingray was the size of the animal, the size of the ferry was about the

same as 2 buses side by side and the stingray was bigger than the ferry,, so it was BIG.

But this was in salt water,,

The Beluga Sturgeon is the largest freshwater fish in the world by a long way and the freshwater stingray in Thailand is third on the list.

http://www.conservationinstitute.org/10-largest-biggest-fresh-water-fish-in-the-world/

A lot of people come to Thailand to specifically target this fish and Jeremy Wade on "River Monsters" managed to catch some.

The Giant Mekong Catfish is stocked in many Thai fishing ponds even up here in Isaan but is certainly endangered in the wild.

Thanks for the link. Very interesting.

Holy giant shark cousin batman!

does that go well with somtam ?

Not sure how its eaten but am told at a local market near here mostly wednesday evenings it sold by the kilo, also some along the meaklong river believe hanging the tail above the house wards off evil spirits and ghosts,

Thais have a long way to go if they want freshwater stingrays off the endangered list.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGzFGXYcdv0

It's obese, probably came from Australia

Fabulous creature............

Once the dams have been built in Laos many of these giant river species will become extinct

Once the dams have been built in Laos many of these giant river species will become extinct

If they haven't got the sense to leave where they are not wanted they deserve to go extinct

Once the dams have been built in Laos many of these giant river species will become extinct

If they haven't got the sense to leave where they are not wanted they deserve to go extinct

That sounds a daft comment.........

It's obese, probably came from Australia

They are fresh water stingrays native to the rivers and inland waterways of thailand and laos, dams block the migratory route of many fish slowing down or infact stopping them reproducing.

Once the dams have been built in Laos many of these giant river species will become extinct

If they haven't got the sense to leave where they are not wanted they deserve to go extinct

Well done! - I'm nominating you for the most facetious post on the thread award

"Released back into the river". Good for them. At first I expected them to serve it up for lunch.

I wish they would see potential lunch in the Soi Dogs...

Once the dams have been built in Laos many of these giant river species will become extinct

If they haven't got the sense to leave where they are not wanted they deserve to go extinct

That sounds a daft comment.........

It was, but to be fair i did put a smiley at the end.

Once the dams have been built in Laos many of these giant river species will become extinct

If they haven't got the sense to leave where they are not wanted they deserve to go extinct

Well done! - I'm nominating you for the most facetious post on the thread award

Jezus, even a smiley doesn't work with some people.

A pic of the actual stingray would have made this story.

Not the random stingray shown.

Not the actual stingray, but a good watch.