Mekong Giant Catfish
CR

Mekong Giant Catfish

Pangasianodon gigas

Declining

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekong_giant_catfish

Overview

The Mekong giant catfish is a large species of catfish in the shark catfish family (Pangasiidae), native to the Mekong basin in Southeast Asia and adjacent China. It is considered critically endangered due to overfishing and habitat loss.

The Mekong giant catfish faces catastrophic population decline primarily due to dam construction across the Mekong River system, which blocks critical migration routes and disrupts spawning cycles. Overfishing has severely depleted remaining populations, while habitat degradation from pollution, sand mining, and agricultural runoff has compromised water quality in essential breeding and nursery areas. Climate change-induced alterations to seasonal flooding patterns further threaten the species' reproductive success.

Threat summary

Habitat

This massive freshwater fish inhabits the Mekong River basin, requiring deep pools and channels for adult feeding and specific upstream spawning grounds during seasonal migrations. Juveniles depend on floodplain areas and tributaries with slower currents and abundant food sources.

Wetlands (inland)· majorWetlands (inland) - Permanent rivers/streams· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionLegislationPolicies and regulations

Other threatened species in PANGASIIDAE

CR

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Pangasius sanitwongsei

Declining
Striped CatfishEN

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VU

Pangasius krempfi

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Bourret's Cat SnakeEN

Bourret's Cat Snake

Boiga bourreti

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Lauhachinda's Fanged Frog

Limnonectes lauhachindai

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VU

Schistura kontumensis

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Megophrys auralensis

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Mekong Giant Catfish classified as Critically Endangered?
Mekong Giant Catfish is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. The Mekong giant catfish faces catastrophic population decline primarily due to dam construction across the Mekong River system, which blocks critical migration routes and disrupts spawning cycles. Overfishing has severely depleted remaining populations, while habitat degradation from pollution, sand mining, and agricultural runoff has compromised water quality in essential breeding and nursery areas. Climate change-induced alterations to seasonal flooding patterns further threaten the species' reproductive success.
Where does Mekong Giant Catfish live?
Mekong Giant Catfish occurs in Cambodia, China, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Mekong Giant Catfish?
The main threats to Mekong Giant Catfish are 5.3, 5.4, 7.2, and 8.3. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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