Rescue operation in the House of the Sea: Freshwater species in danger!

Rescue operation in the House of the Sea: Freshwater species in danger!

The House of the Sea in Vienna opened a new freshwater facility on Wednesday that not only presents aquatic creatures, but also tells stories about their survival. The installation is intended to promote awareness of existing species conservation programs and environmental protection measures. The aquariums contain various fish, shrimp and snails, each representing their own ecological narrative. This initiative comes at a time when many more or less well-known freshwater species are threatened with extinction.

According to a recent study by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), thousands of freshwater species worldwide are in danger. The research analyzed data on over 20,000 species and published its results in the journal Nature. Over ten percent of all known species live in freshwater habitats such as rivers and lakes. Tragically, around 24 percent of the freshwater animals examined are at high risk of extinction.

Urgent need for action

Particularly at risk are decapods, with 30 percent of the species threatened. Freshwater fish, 26 percent of which are in danger, as well as odonates, which belong to the dragonflies, are also struggling with a loss of species. Since 1500, 89 species have been verified and 178 species are presumed extinct. Some, like the Sulawesi ricefish, whose existence depends primarily on breeding programs in aquariums, are no longer found in the wild.

However, there is a success story for the Mexican tequila carp variety. After it became extinct in the wild in 2003, it was returned to the wild through renaturation measures. These successes show that there is hope and urgent action is needed to stop the further decline in biodiversity.

Causes and outlook

The main causes of the decline in biodiversity are diverse: environmental pollution, habitat destruction, invasive species and climate change play a decisive role. Over 54 percent of threatened species suffer from pollution, while 39 percent are at risk from dams and water extraction. The lack of data on freshwater biodiversity should not be used as an excuse for inaction, experts say.

Matthew Gollock from the Zoological Society of London warns that the threats posed by human activity cannot be ignored. There are calls for international governments and companies to urgently plan environmentally sustainable measures and invest more in research and protection of freshwater habitats.

With its new facility, the House of the Sea will be an important catalyst for raising awareness about the protection of endangered species. By combining education and active conservation projects, many of the endangered species can hopefully be saved.

Time is of the essence, because the diversity of freshwater species is of great importance not only for wildlife, but also for people. These habitats are essential for drinking water, climate change mitigation and ecological stability.

The future of freshwater species remains uncertain, but initiatives like those at House of the Sea show that there is still hope if we act boldly.

For more information on the threats to freshwater species and measures to combat the biodiversity crisis, check out studies by Geo and daily news.