There are twenty-five red handfish. They were moved to an aquarium in a rescue effort. They want to protect them against the high atmospheric and sea temperatures expected for this summer. This is how Australia saves fish from extinction.
«The home of the red handfish (of which barely a hundred specimens remain) is facing serious loss and degradation of its habitat. “It is due to an increase in the abundance of native hedgehogs that have overgrazed their habitat.” The Institute of Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) at the University of Tasmania said this in a statement.
Relocating fish
The heat wave is a serious and significant threat to the existence of the species. «Habitat degradation means a loss of refuges and microhabitats. “It is increasingly difficult for handfish to adapt to the stress of water temperature,” they said.
Dr Andrew Trotter leads the red handfish conservation breeding project. He proposed relocating a proportion of the population into captivity. This can reduce the risk associated with the expected high sea temperatures. Australia saves fish from extinction thanks to this.
«This strategy is not without risks. The relocation of the handfish from the sea to the aquariums was quite smooth and they adapted very well to their new homes. This summer has already far exceeded previous temperature highs. It is experiencing record high temperatures. “This additional stress factor will affect the already fragile population,” they stated.
Private name
This handfish gets its name from its preference for “walking” on its pectoral and pelvic fins. This is because they do not have a swim bladder like other fish. For them staying afloat and swimming is a challenge.
The red handfish Thymichthys politus is a small, critically endangered species. It is about 8cm long and varies in color from bright red to light pink or brown. It is estimated that fewer than 100 individuals remain in the wild. They live on two small patches of rocky reef in Frederick Henry Bay, southeast of Hobart.
