The mighty Mekong
From the Mekong’s turbulent headwaters to its placid delta and confluence with the sea, its metamorphosis through each season – dry, hot, and wet – the river’s natural evolution is symbolic of change.
Today, this change is mirrored in the region’s aspirations for a better life, the likes of which are shaping the future of the Mekong and that of its people.
Everyday life for the people of the Mekong basin is entwined with the natural rhythm of the river. Its active floodplains and biodiversity rich fisheries support food security and livelihoods. Its calm waters are used in recreation and for transportation. It replenishes crops, livestock and households, and for centuries, has brought meaning to an array of cultures.
Weaving 4,800 km from its icy headwaters on the Tibetan Plateau, the river flows through steep canyons of China (the upper basin), through Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam (the lower basin), fanning out across the tropical lowlands of the Mekong Delta then draining into the South China Sea.
Today, the lower Mekong River mainstream remains free-flowing, unlike so many of the world's other great rivers. The people of the Greater Mekong have a unique opportunity to become a model of sustainable development, improving living standards through conservation of this vast natural resources and the ecosystem services it provides.
An abundance of life rivalled only by the Amazon
The Mekong, its floodplains and tributaries support huge collections of unique flora and fauna including, critically endangered freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins, the world’s largest freshwater fish – the Giant freshwater stingray - giant turtles, Mekong giant catfish, waterbirds, and Siamese crocodiles.
River of giants
The Mekong is one of the last large rivers in the world that still has active natural floodplain that nurtures an extremely high numbers of fish species, including some of the world’s largest.
With over 1300 species of fish, the Mekong River is the world’s most productive inland fishery. Providing livelihoods to 60 million people, this fishery accounts for up to 25% of the global inland catch, providing up to 80% of all animal protein in to the people of the Mekong River basin. Fisheries in the Mekong River are worth 2.5 billion USD per year to the countries of the Mekong.
Many of the species in the Mekong are endemic. Many are super-sized. Among the species of the Mekong are some of the world's most charismatic fish including four to the world's largest:
- Giant freshwater stingray Himantura chaophraya Up to 600kg
- Mekong giant catfish Pangasianodon gigas Up to 350kg
- Giant pangasius Catlocarpio siamensis Up to 300kg
Endangered species
Beyond fish, the Mekong basin is also home to a tremendous diversity of endangered species such as:
WWF's work in the Mekong
Hydropower
Side by side with the Mekong River Commission, WWF is engaging with the hydropower industry, the governments of the Greater Mekong region and local stakeholders to:
• improve planning, design and operation for hydropower so that the benefits outweigh negative impacts
• help the hydropower industry to identify projects with the least impacts
• find which sites that could provide the best development opportunities at the least costs (social, environmental and economic).
Learn more.
The Mekong Delta
The
Mekong Delta Conservation Forum is a WWF initiative that aims to create an open platform where environmental specialists can share information and discuss Mekong issues.
The first forum was hosted in Can Tho City on World Environment Day, June 5th, 2009. The focus was on environmental and social issues in the Mekong Delta, including measures to improve people’s livelihoods and initiatives on natural resources conservation. Scientists presented the expected impacts of climate change, in addition to the expected impacts to the Delta from upstream development such as hydropower and mining.
Learn more.
The Mekong Delta Biosphere Reserve was established by UNESCO-MAB and WWF to increase the resilience of the Mekong Delta to the impacts of climate change, and to create inland fish protected areas, which would be the future nutrition sources of the poor.
Community fisheries and wetlands
What are community fisheries?
Community fisheries aim to develop community river management plans that conserve aquatic health and biodiversity while meeting market demand. These sustainably managed fisheries are generating greater income for fishermen and providing long-term food security for communities basin-wide. At the national level, Community Fisheries projects are helping integrate the knowledge and experience of rural communities into fisheries policy and management strategies.
