Guatemala releases captive-bred fossil fish

Guatemala has released hundreds of captive-bred baby tropical gars into a freshwater canal in the country's south, in a conservation effort for a vulnerable fish sometimes called a “fossil fish.”

The fry were raised in tanks by the Marine Conservation Center of Guatemala City's La Aurora Zoo and then taken by boat to their natural habitat, a canal surrounded by mangroves.

The tropical gar, or Atractosteus tropicus, is threatened by illegal fishing, pollution and extreme weather events exacerbated by the El Nino weather pattern. The fish is designated as vulnerable in Guatemala.

Scientists consider the species prehistoric because it has survived without morphological changes for 100 million years. It is a smaller relative of the alligator gar, one of North America's largest freshwater fish. Adult tropical gars can reach 1.2 meters and weigh about 10 kilograms.

Jennifer Hernandez, deputy head of conservation at La Aurora Zoo, said the carnivorous fish plays an important role in Guatemala's freshwater ecosystem by helping maintain balance in rivers.