In Search Of The Prehistoric Lungfish: Exploring Tuntable Creek’s Secrets

OzFish Unlimited volunteers recently teamed up with Richmond Landcare in search of the elusive prehistoric lungfish after there were reported sightings in northern NSW. 

Why is that significant? Well, the lungfish has not been in the area for millions of years and the endangered native species is only found in small sections of Queensland.  

After the floods of 2022 caused major damage to the Tuntable Creek ecosystem, 25km north of Lismore, a resident said he saw a lungfish in the waterway and his clear description was backed up by another local so members of the Richmond Landcare group decided to investigate.  

Richmond Landcare volunteer Emily Headlam reached out to OzFish, Australia’s fishing conservation charity, “to see if they might have the capacity to support us in doing some eDNA testing” to potentially get scientific verification that lungfish had returned to the area after the floods.  

“If evidence of the fish is found here, it could lead to significant conservation actions and positively impact the wider community,” she said. 

Continue Reading Here at Ozfish.org

#citizenscience

#endangeredspecies