Alpinist fights to save the rarest fish species in Europe (Romania)

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Famous Romanian alpinist Alexandru Gavan, who has climbed seven of the world’s 14 peaks over 8,000 meters, is fighting to save the rarest fish in Europe and one of the oldest in the world from extinction. The fish, known as “aspretele” (Romanichthys valsanicola), is a live fossil that is over 65 million years old, which means that it lived around the same time as the last dinosaurs.

The fish lives only in a small valley in Romania’s ***aras Mountains – the Valsan Valley, a protected area affected by illegal works and reckless exploitation.

“Although there are extremely few specimens left and the species is protected, both nationally and internationally, with all possible forms of protection, the current pressures and threats against it are greater than ever,” Alex Gavan warns in a Facebook post.

Gavan hopes that a recent meeting he had with officials from the Romanian Waters national company and the National Environment Guard will determine the authorities to act and stop the illegal activities in Valsan Valley and other similar mountain valleys, affected by illegal works and reckless exploitation.

https://www.romania-insider.com/romanian-alpinist-alex-gavan-save-fossil-fish

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It looks like a baby dragon!