Giant freshwater stingray caught in Cambodia - in pictures
A man examines a record-breaking giant freshwater stingray before it is released back into the Mekong River in the north-eastern province of Stung Treng in Cambodia. AP Photo
Cambodian and American scientists and fisheries officials prepare to release the fish. It weighs 300 kilograms and is 2.2 metres wide and almost four metres from snout to tail – a record for the world's largest known freshwater fish. AP Photo
The fish was caught on June 13 by a local fisherman south of Stung Treng in north-eastern Cambodia. He received a reward of $600. AP
A close-up of the giant freshwater stingray. A bottom-dwelling species that lives in sandy and muddy areas, it preys on small fish and invertebrates. AFP
International scientists, Cambodian fisheries officials, and villagers at Koh Preah island with the stingray. While not aggressive, its sting is sheathed in toxic mucus and is capable of piercing bone. AFP
The previous record for a freshwater fish was a 293-kilogram Mekong giant catfish, discovered in Thailand in 2005, the Wonders of the Mekong group said. AFP
Scientists arrived within hours of receiving a post-midnight call with the news — and were “stunned” by the sight that greeted them. AFP
