Animals we’ve lost: the 15 carp species that disappeared from a single lake

t was a celebrated clan: a group of 17 carp species found nowhere else in the world except for an ancient freshwater lake in the. One so fat it could be fried without oil, another sought after for its delectable egg-filled ovaries, a third known, oddly enough, for its endearing overbite.

Yet in recent years 15 of them have been declared extinct, victims of mismanaged fish farming efforts that accidentally introduced predatory fish into their home. In all likelihood, these invaders will continue to menace the native carp until none of them are left.It’s unclear how the carp ended up in Lake Lanao, on the island of Mindanao, in the first place. Probably they swam up a waterway on a primeval land bridge to the now-separate island of Borneo, which itself teems with carp.

Indigenous locals called the Maranao, which means “the people of the lake”, were not overly concerned with its looks. Having built their traditions, culture and cuisine around Lake Lanao since at least the 13th century, this Muslim community knew the bitungu in another form: food. Though individuals were appetizer-sized – about the length of an iPhone mini, at best – they could become the centerpiece of a fine meal when fried, grilled or stewed en masse.

“The Bureau of Fisheries meant well because their objective was to try and feed Filipinos, but they had no idea how quickly biodiversity could collapse,” said Gregg Yan, director of Best Alternatives, a Philippines-based group that works to mitigate damage caused by invasive fish. The construction of hydroelectric dams near the lake, the adoption of dynamite fishing, and increasing pollution only sped up the ecosystem’s demise.

Why?

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