Habitat loss and degradation: The natural habitats of Asian arowanas, including rivers, wetlands, and floodplains, are under significant pressure from human activities such as logging, agriculture, and urban development. These alterations destroy their spawning and feeding grounds, leading to population decline.
Overexploitation: Asian arowanas are highly prized in the ornamental fish trade, particularly the red-tailed golden arowana, which has a cultural and economic significance in some Asian countries. Overfishing for the aquarium trade has severely depleted their populations in the wild.
Illegal wildlife trade: Asian arowanas are often illegally caught and traded across international borders to meet the demands of the aquarium market. This illegal trade poses additional threats to their survival.
Insufficient conservation measures: Conservation efforts for Asian arowanas have been insufficient to address the various threats they face. Despite their protected status in some countries, enforcement of regulations is often weak, and habitat conservation measures are inadequate.
Slow reproductive rate: Asian arowanas have a relatively slow reproductive rate, which further limits their ability to recover from population declines caused by habitat loss and overfishing.
Therefore, the combination of habitat loss, overexploitation, illegal wildlife trade, insufficient conservation measures, and their slow reproductive rate has led Asian arowanas to become endangered species. Immediate action is needed to protect their habitats, enforce regulations, and raise awareness to ensure their survival.