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Large South American predator discovered at Angkor Wat

| Publication date 04 November 2022 | 12:09 ICT

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Arapaima or dragonfish found dead at Angkor Wat moat on November 3. ANA

Large South American predator discovered at Angkor Wat

The Apsara National Authority (ANA) announced that the giant fish found dead in the Angkor Wat moat is an arapaima which had been put in the moat without permission.

In a November 4 press statement, the ANA said that arapaima, or dragonfish, is native to the Amazon River network in South America. The fish was found dead in the northern moat of Angkor Wat by environmental workers of the ANA. Fisheries experts had inspected the specimen found no sign of any injuries caused by humans. They concluded that the fish died of natural causes.

“This species is an aggressive predator that eats smaller fish. It had been deposited into the moat by an unknown person. The ANA has previously declared a ban on releasing non-native fish into the Angkor Wat moat. Doing so could easily upset the balance of the delicate ecosystem,” added the statement.

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