VietNamNet Bridge – A collection of aquatic creatures of the Dong Nai River is on display at the Dong Nai Museum. This is an original collection of the endemic aquatic creatures which have been collected over the last seven years to save the precious genetic resources for the next generations.

The people who try to protect fresh water fish genes

The Dong Nai River, with the total length of 586 kilometers and the watershed of 38,600 square kilometers, is the only river in Vietnam which originates from the inner country. It runs through many provinces and cities before it reaches the sea.

Like many river networks, Dong Nai has been facing the high risks from the development of industries and hydropower plants. Scientists have many times warned that the aquatic resources have been on serious decline, while a lot of endemic fishes have on the brink of extinction.

According to Luu Van Du, Director of the Dong Nai Museum, there are some 300 fish species living on the Dong Nai River, including the 17 species named in the Vietnamese Red Book.

Since 2006, the Dong Nai Museum has been joining forces with the provincial aquatic resource exploitation and protection agency to do research to preserve the genetic resources and build up a collection of aquatic creatures.

The museum now has 164 fresh and brackish water fish species, 61 species living completely in a fresh water environment at the Tri An water reservoir, 93 species in brackish and salt water in Phuoc An commune of Nhon Trach district.

Scientists had to follow a very strict procedure to take and conserve the specimens of fishes. They took aquatic creature specimens and brought them to the laboratory for treatment.

The fishes taken needed to be at adulthood and preserved intact. After injecting necessary chemicals into the fishes, they were soaked into a mixture of solution which helps delay the decomposition process.

In order to prolong the “life expectancy,” the specimen have been preserved in cold storage and then put into glass tanks. The fishes look lively as if they are swimming in the wild on the river.

Scientists also show the “biographies” of every specimen, which includes the name of the fish, the characteristics, the location and the cultivation technique.

The heritages for the future

The exhibition introduces to the public the original collection with 1,091 specimens of fish individuals which have been treated with chemicals, 50 pictures and 50 objects, such as fishing net and other fishing instruments.

The exhibition has caught the special attention from the public, especially the youth, who said they can see a lot of species for the first time in their life, because the fishes have been no more seen in the area.

Du said he plans to expand the collection with the salt water fish species to be collected from other provinces and cities, not only in Dong Nai. He said the exhibition and the collection aim to educate people the responsibility for the environment protection and call on them to take actions to preserve the precious fish species for the next generations.

SGTT