Fighting Extinction - Waza

38 Yarqon Bleak
WAZA magazine Vol 13/2012
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Following the success of the experimental
pond and the government’s
assurance regarding water, 12 sites
along the Israeli coastal river system
were assigned for reintroduction
of the Yarqon bleak, most of them
engineered to contain the species’ essential
habitat. In 2006/2007 approximately
9,000 laboratory-born fish
were returned to nature. Offspring of
fish originally captured in the Yarqon
River were stocked in southern Israel,
in or close to the Yarqon River basin,
while offspring of fish originally captured
in the Tut River were stocked
in various rivers in the central and
northern coastal system, in basins
where this species had existed in the
1950s. In surveys carried out from
2007 onwards, fish of all sizes and
ages, including juveniles, were found
at most release sites. The various
stages of the project are described in
detail in Goren (2009).
Outcome
Our multiple-year effort to prevent
the extinction of the Yarqon bleak
clearly demonstrates that an imperilled
fish species can be saved.
The combination of experience and
scientific research enabled us to keep
the “refugee fish” alive, although
initially they were sick and in very bad
condition; to produce a large number
of fish in the laboratory; to identify
the reasons for the failure of the first
reintroduced fish to breed; and to
suggest effective solutions to these
problems. The project can be regarded
as highly successful (Goren 2010).
The fish reproduced in nature over
consecutive years and the population
has increased significantly in size
since the reintroduction. A permanent
supply of good quality water to the
rivers was promised by the government
as part of a new approach called
“The right of nature to water”. With
breeding of released individuals and
persistence over three generations as
success indicators (Goren 2010), the
Yarqon bleak, although still classified
as Extinct in the Wild, has been successfully
returned to nature.
We learned two major lessons during
this project: (1) There are no shortcuts
in saving endangered species.
These kinds of projects are long-term
and consume a lot of time, money,
goodwill and broad consensus of the
neighbouring community. A devoted
leader for such a project is the key to
success. (2) The efforts to save an endangered
species should be directed
simultaneously to several channels:
• Establishment of an efficient breeding
facility for the fish and developing
a professional maintenance
protocol.
• Research conducted by professional
scientists on the relevant aspects of
fish biology (diet, spawning habits,
water quality and velocity, shelters,
preferred temperatures for various
stages of reproduction, preferred
habitats, etc.).
• Rehabilitation (water supply and
quality) and engineering (spawning
sites for adults and shelter for juveniles)
of the habitat that is planned
to accommodate the fish.
• Experimental stocking of the fish in
the rehabilitated habitat, followed
by releasing the fish in sites that
have been found to be suitable in
the experimental stage.
• Continued monitoring of the habitat
and of the reintroduced fish population.
• Public relations to raise awareness,
achieve the funds needed for the
project, secure a long-term supply
of water in arid countries, and gain
the support and goodwill of the
public and decision-makers.
Acknowledgements
I am grateful to the students in my
laboratory, especially E. Elron, B.
Libes, Y. Krotman and Y. Gueta, for
the endless time they spent on and
their devotion to the project of saving
the Yarqon bleak.
References
• Goren, M. (2004) Freshwater
fishes in Israel. In: The Red Book:
Vertebrates in Israel (ed. by Dolev,
A. & Perevolotsky, A.), pp. 39–54.
Jerusalem: Keter Printing.
• Goren, M. (2009) Saving critically
endangered fish species – utopia
or practical idea? The story of the
Yarqon bleak – Acanthobrama
telavivensis (Cyprinidae) as a test
case. Aqua, International Journal
of Ichthyology 15: 1–12.
• Goren, M. (2010) Re-introduction
of the “Extinct in the Wild” Yarqon
bleak, Israel. In: Global Reintroduction
Perspectives: 2010
(ed. by Soorae, P. S.), pp. 45–48.
Abu Dhabi: IUCN/SSC Re-introduction
Specialist Group.
• Goren, M. & Ortal, R. (1999)
Biogeography, diversity and conservation
of the inland water fish
communities in Israel. Biological
Conservation 89: 1–9.
• Goren, M., Fishelson, L. & Trewavas,
E. (1973) The cyprinid fishes
of Acanthobrama Heckel and
related genera. Bulletin of the
British Museum of Natural History
(Zoology) 24: 291–315.