Steve Townsend found himself unexpectedly caught in a series of events that directed
him towards a small creek nestled in the heart of the Amazon.
A sudden thunderstorm had forcefully pushed him and his companions away from the expansive
lake where they had initially set out for a day of fishing.
After all sitting in an aluminum vessel, while lightning is firing around you, isn't the
best idea, and what's more, the change in plans ended in an encounter with one of the
Amazon's most amazing fish.
Townson is in fact, an expert in fishing on the Amazon.
He runs a website dedicated to fishing trips in the jungle, and according to the site,
he is an extreme angling expert with an unbridled knowledge of the Amazon basin.
The acquired knowledge certainly came into play during this particular journey.
Interestingly enough, Steve Townsend is not only an adventurer but also a renowned television
personality.
He boasts the prestigious title of Amazon peacock bass world champion, a remarkable
achievement he has earned not just once, but twice.
It is undoubtedly true that Steve Townsend is exceptionally knowledgeable in his field,
which is why it comes as no surprise that he has earned the nickname "fish finder" among
certain circles.
His expertise and experience played a crucial role in this extraordinary expedition where
he utilized those very skills to locate one of the most awe-inspiring river creatures
found worldwide.
Indeed, it was no accident that Townson guided his boat down into the Creek that day.
He knew that the fish he was searching for was a reclusive one.
However, because of the habits of this creature, the fishing expert, didn't just know exactly
where to look.
He also knew the tell-tale signs that one of these monsters was near, and it didn't
take too long for his hunch to pay off.
So, after the aborted expedition on the lake Townson headed off to smaller Creek.
There was less chance that the boat would be struck by lightning there, but although
the move paid off soon enough, Townson was struggling with a true Amazon monster.
And while you might not have heard of it, it's one of the most amazing underwater creatures
on the planet.
The fishing question is called the arapaima, and though it may not have the fearsome reputation
of the Piranha of the Amazon It more than holds its own when it comes to sheer size,
that being said, the fish isn't just interesting because of how massive it is.
No, there are plenty of other reasons why it gets anglers So excited.
But first let's get a measure of this monster.
The arapaima is the largest scaled freshwater fish on the planet.
Make no mistake These creatures can be truly enormous.
The heaviest ever found weighed in at a staggering 440 pounds.
The longest, well that measured an incredible 15 feet long.
However, there's something else about the arapaima that makes it stand out.
It's the way that these fish breathe.
Unlike other species in the river, which use their gills to take in oxygen.
The arapaima is an Air breathe, and yet this is both a help and a hindrance to these creatures.
Often the waters in the Amazon are low in oxygen, which gives the arapaima a distinct
advantage, but there's a downside too.
According to Townson, and one of the reasons why arapaima prefer more secluded location
Is that all things being equal, they're easy for other predators to catch, that's because
they need to surface regularly for large gulfs of air, and this gives any creature looking
for an arapaima sized meal the perfect opportunity to pick one up.
For the most part though, breathing air is part of the arapaima, his biggest strengths.
In fact, during times when the water of the Amazon is low, arapaima become the top predators
in Oxbow lakes.
This is because the lack of oxygen in the water makes their prey lethargic.
A problem that the air breathing arapaima doesn't have.
However, the arapaima doesn't just eat fish It feeds on crustaceans too.
What's more somewhat shockingly it'll take small mammals that wonder too close to the
shore as well.
So, this is far from a gentle giant that's for sure.
That said there's a sadder side to the tail of this Amazon monster, and the reason for
this is down to humankind.
It's true that Townson did catch an arapaima and it's a pretty big one to tipping the scales
at an estimated 200 pounds.
Nevertheless, once he posed for some photos with the huge fish, the expert angler released
it back into the wild that's because there's a catch and release policy for this giant,
but endangered species.
As a result, you're only allowed to catch arapaima in a certain location in the Amazon
basin.
The native people in these areas are permitted to catch and kill the creatures for what's
known as substance harvesting.
Otherwise, once you bad yourself, an arapaima, you need to release it back into its environment.
The arapaima is in fact, on the international union for conservation of nature's red list,
where it's listed as data deficient.
Yes, because of the size of its habitat It's difficult to conduct studies about the number
of fish left in the wild.
On top of that, it's hard to work out.
How many of the giants are caught each year when for the most part catching them is against
the law.
All of this may Townson impressive Catch all the more difficult.
For instance, he used circular hooks to ensure that the fish didn't sustain too much damage,
speaking deficient fly.
He said, arapaima are the largest scaled freshwater fish in the world, but they can be delicate
and must be handled with care.
There are other strange characteristics about the arapaima as well.
For example, the male of the species is what's known as a mouth brooder.
This means that it carries its young in its mouth for the early part of their life.
The female meanwhile, we'll circle the male warding off predators and ensuring that the
brood isn't put in any danger, then there's the creature's tongue.
It's called a bony tongue and there are a set of teeth running along it Interestingly,
these teeth have a number of uses among the native peoples in the Amazon basin.
For starters, they're often used as nail files, but there's an even wider use for the Organ
too.
Yes, it's believed the tongue has medicinal properties.
Once it's been dried and mixed with guarana bark, it's combined with water and patients
are then given the mixture to rid them of intestinal worms.
Just another bizarre side to the story of this enormous and sadly endangered creature.
Still when it comes to strangeness the arapaima isn't alone.
Indeed, The Amazon basin where the arapaima is found has its fair share of other river
monsters.
Within this region, an astounding array of aquatic life thrives, encompassing a minimum
of 2,500 distinct fish species.
Astonishingly, it is speculated that there may exist an additional 1,000 species that
remain unidentified, awaiting proper documentation.
Remarkably, when compared to all the other river basins across the globe, it is the Amazon
that claims the title of harbouring the greatest diversity of fish species.
In these waterways, stingrays, alligator-like fish, electric eels, and Piranhas thrive.
Yet, the arapaima surpasses them all as the colossal king.
Townsend's encounter highlights their exceptional nature, revealing their true uniqueness.
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