Rediscovered: The striking Leopard Barbel fish has been found in the Turkish section of the Tigris River. This spotting spurs hope in the midst of a global freshwater fish decline, where 25% of freshwater fish are at risk of extinction. The Leopard Barbel is the second species that has been rediscovered by the Search for Lost Fishes, a partnership between Re:wild and shoal_org. The first, the Batman River Loach, was found by the same intrepid team in Southeastern Türkiye (Turkey) in late 2021. The Leopard Barbel was once abundant, ranging from Eastern Türkiye, Eastern Syria, Iran and Iraq in the Tigris-Euphrates river system. Over the last three decades, however, fishing, pollution, habitat destruction and dams have pushed the species to the edge of extinction. “We hope the rediscovery of the Leopard Barbel will serve as an inspiring catalyst for future freshwater biodiversity conservation efforts in this region,” says Harmony Patricio, freshwater fish conservation program manager ...