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Context:

The giant salmon carp, thought to be extinct, has been found in the Mekong River.

The Giant Salmon Carp

*About*	They are a species of fish commonly called the Mekong Giant Salmon Carp. Fewer than 30 individuals have been recorded since its formal identification in 1991.
*Scientific Name*	*Aaptosyax grypus*
*Size*	The predatory fish can grow up to 4 feet in length. Generally, they have a weight of 30 kilograms but the freshwater fish exceed 30 kilograms in weight.
*Identification*	It has a conspicuous knob at the tip of its lower jaw, which identifies the fish.
*Habitat*	They are generally found in the middle reaches of the Mekong River in Northern Cambodia, Laos and Thailand.
*Threats*	Overfishing, habitat degradation, and other threats such as noise from ships and industrialisation in the Mekong River.
*Conservation status*	They have been listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN.

About Mekong River

It is an international river in Southeast Asia.

It is the twelfth-longest river in the world and also the third-longest river in Asia with a total length of 2700 km.

Course of the river

The river originates at the place called Sanjianyuang in the Tibetan Plateau of China and it drains into the South China Sea.

The river course covers six Asian countries which are China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Biodiversity

The river basin is the second most biodiverse region in the world, after Amazon River Basin.

The river basin biodiversity has about 21,000 plant species,1,200 bird species, numerous mammals, amphibians, reptiles, and fish species.

Major cities on the river banks are

1) Vientiane– It is the capital of Laos

2) Phnom Penh- it is the capital of Cambodia

Importance for India

The Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) initiative by India and five riverine countries of the Mekong River and also the ASEAN countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam has potential to enhance the trade and connectivity between India and South East Asia.

Important articles for reference

ASEAN

Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC)

Sources:

INDIAN EXPRESS

FOX2NOW

WIKIPEDIA

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Consider the following statements about the Mekong River:

It is the twelfth-longest river in the world.
The river originates at the place called Sanjianyuang in the Tibetan Plateau of China.
The Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) is an initiative by India and four riverine countries of the Mekong River.

How many of the above statements is/are correct?

A.Only one

B.Only two

C. All Three

D.None

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is correct:

Mekong River is an international river in Southeast Asia.

It is the twelfth-longest river in the world and also the third-longest river in Asia with a total length of 2700 km.

Statement 2 is correct:

The river originates at the place called Sanjianyuang in the Tibetan Plateau of China and it drains into the South China Sea.

The river course covers six Asian countries which are China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

Statement 3 is incorrect:

GIANT SALMON CARP