A Critically Endangered Fish Battles for Survival
The Kushirogawa river water system in eastern Hokkaido is witnessing the final days of the spawning season for ito, a fish often referred to as the "phantom fish." Ito, also known as Sakhalin taimen, is one of Japan's largest freshwater fish and a member of the salmon family. Its natural breeding grounds in Japan are limited to the northernmost main island of Hokkaido and the Northern Territories, with confirmed breeding occurring in only a handful of rivers.
Classified as "critically endangered" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species, ito faces a high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. The Environment Ministry of Japan also designates ito as endangered.
two male ito, each exceeding one meter in length and their bodies flushed red with ardor, engaged in a fierce battle for the attention of a female. During this time, the male ito's body, except for its head, turns a vibrant red.
However, the spawning grounds faced a challenge this year. Local government road construction upstream had resulted in a deluge of sediment reaching the area, jeopardizing the hatching of the fry.
The reporter observed a male and female pair of ito as a rival male approached, following the meandering current. A sudden splash of water marked the start of a battle between the two males. The male paired with the female positioned himself over the approaching male, preventing contact with the female. The rival male retaliated by flipping his body and biting the other male's torso.
The battle continued for several dozen seconds in shallow water, the bodies of the two males mostly exposed to the air. As the fight raged, yellow fuchsia, known as chiraiapappo by the indigenous Ainu people, bloomed on the shore, a stark contrast to the fierce struggle unfolding in the water.