One third of freshwater fish populations at risk of extinction

Rivers, lakes and wetlands are among the most biodiverse places on earth. They cover less than 1 per cent of the planet’s total surface, yet they’re home to almost a quarter of all vertebrate species – including over half of all the world’s fish species. It’s an extraordinary fact: of 35,768 known species of fish, 18,075 – or 51 per cent – live in freshwater. And more are being discovered all the time, according to a new report published by 16 global conservation groups. But - nearly a third of the known freshwater fish populations are at risk of extinction, according to the report "The World's Forgotten Fishes".

Further reading: One third of freshwater fish populations at risk of extinction