Red hand fish (Australian news agency photo)
There is a special group of marine organisms, hand fish, living in the waters near Tasmania Habat. It is one of the rarest marine organisms in the world. Recently, less than 100 red hand fish were found in Tazhou.
According to the Australian news agency, researchers in Tasmania have called on the public to sponsor the small fish, which were found only in two locations near Habat, to help them improve their chances of survival.
The first comprehensive survey of red hand fish stocks was completed last summer and new results were released on Wednesday. Professional divers found nearly 100 red hand fish, a slight improvement from the previous estimate of 70 to 80. Hand fish are suitably named because they walk slowly on the bottom of the sea with their front fins, rather than swimming. At the same time, naming also means calling for funding for them. They have got their own pages on handfish.org.au and are accompanied by personal information pictures.
Dr. Rick Stewart-Smith, a research fellow at the "This is an opportunity for the public to see individuals and variations. each fish is very unique," `s Institute of Marine and Antarctic Research, said. "The place of the fish is kept secret in order to avoid the effects of human and threat.
Each "hand fish" has its own name and costs A $1000 to name a hand fish, and the funds will, ideally, be used for breeding programs and habitat management.
Red hand fish (Australian news agency photo)
Three extremely endangered hand fish unique to Tasmania, all several centimeters long.
Among them, spotted hand fish are breeding in captivity, while Ziebell`s hand fish are thought to be extinct.
"Handfish are a fascinating species and a symbol of Tasmania`s marine environment," Dr. Smith said.
"Unfortunately, current resources limit our ability to save them.
"there are too few individuals left. If there is no supportive intervention, they will certainly face extinction."
The researchers hope to conduct a second comprehensive survey of red hand fish populations later this year.
