Protecting this species also helps protect important coral reef ecosystems.
The endangered camel head bulb has a prominent forehead, bright colors, with eye-catching blue, green and yellow, which is definitely hard to miss. These giant reef fish are distributed in the Indian- Pacific region and weigh more than 400 pounds and can grow to 6 feet long. Unfortunately, hump-headed wrasse is also considered a delicacy and therefore has become a victim of widespread illegal fishing.
IUCN first included the hunchback wrasse on the list of endangered species in 2004. It is estimated that there are 2.5 to 3.5 adult fish per 8,000 square meters in coral reefs in Queensland, Australia, and about 10 fish per 10,000 square meters in other areas within its range of activity. In 2005, CITES included hunchback wrasse in Appendix II, and regulated its international trade by issuing export license in the country of origin.
Below, we'll learn about this amazing endangered species and how to help the remaining population survive.
threatens
divers disturb the habitat of hump-headed wrasse.
Due to its high value in Southeast Asia's live reef fish trade, it is most vulnerable to destructive overfishing and illegal fishing. As a member of the coral reef ecosystem, the species is also threatened by climate-related issues such as rising ocean temperatures and rising sea level .
Destructive Fishing Operation
Traditional methods of catching hump-headed wrasse include hooks and lines, hand-sting , traps, or recently using a harpoon gun in a diving pool. Because of the large size and difficulty catching, divers usually hunt at night or focus on smaller, younger fish.
In some areas, fishermen use a destructive method by exposing the fish to a coma by exposing the fish to a cyanide poison and then quickly move it into fresh water. The cyanide remaining in the environment will kill coral and cause marine animals by catches exposed to toxic substances to die, but are not removed in time. Research shows that this approach may cause irreversible ecological damage to the Indo-Pacific coral reef system, especially when combined with the effects of climate change.
Illegal trade
Despite being protected, camel-headed wrasses are still illegally hunted and sold within their range of activities. A 2015 survey found at least 15 companies selling live or frozen hump wrasses.
In Hong Kong, a survey of the three major fish markets in the region found that between November 2014 and December 2015 alone, there were 1,197 live hunchback wrasses on sale.
Climate change
Climate change affects the habitat of hump-head wrasse in several aspects. Mainly, rising ocean temperatures will lead to changes in the ocean chemically, increasing the risk of bleaching corals, diseases and toxic algae large reproduction. As ice sheet melts and hot sea water expansion leads to warming oceans and rising sea levels, this can lead to destructive erosion and increase the deposition of coral reefs near land.
Since 1991, the sea level of the Great Barrier Reef has risen at a rate of 3 mm per year. By 2030, global sea levels will rise by 26 to 29 cm.
What can we do
hunched wrasse in coral reef habitat.
There is evidence that people are still illegally catching hump-headed wrasses from their habitats, and legislative reforms, strengthening enforcement or stricter regulation may benefit them. Fish trade networks are difficult to track, so environmentalists have to turn to more creative approaches.
In 2011, a project of Malaysia aimed at curbing the export of hunchback wrasses launched a "buyback" program targeting wrasses intended to be sold. The fish were bought from the market and then strategically put back in the wild, hoping that they could rebreed the reef ecosystem. Since the start of the project, a total of 874 live hunchback wrasses have been purchased and released at four different locations on the Malaysian coast.
Hong Kong University researchers are using the complex facial patterns of hump-head wrasse to develop a new facial recognition software to identify individual fish. The software and applications can help improve monitoring practices and subsequently execute illegal wrasse transactions. It can even be applied to other marine animals with recognizable features.
Support Coral Reef
Hunchback Wrasse is crucial to the overall health of Earth's coral reefs. Their main food is the prickly crested starfish, a prickly echinoderm that feeds on corals. Although these starfish and humphead wrasse are native to the same region, it is known that this species will destroy the hard coral community and is believed to be one of the main reasons for the disappearance of the Great Barrier Reef coral. Rescuing this unique species can bring a range of positive results to important coral reef communities that are critical to the impact at the wider ecosystem level.
