Bocachico

THIS SPECIES IS AT RISK OF EXTINCTION. Also known as Prochilodus magdalenae, bocachico is a medium-sized fish endemic to Colombia, living in the shallow water of the Atrato, Cauca, Sinú, Ranchería, Claro, and Magdalena rivers and nearby swamps.

This fish can reach a length of 50 centimeters, and its name refers to its small mouth with small teeth which are located on the lips. It has silvery scales, while the fins vary in color from pink to red. In the past, bocachico was one of the main sources of income for fishermen in the Caribbean region of Colombia, while the local population used it in soups or fried it.

The fish also ate decomposing organic material, thus helping to clean the water, but in the 1990s, catches started to decline, and nowadays bocachico is at risk of extinction due to two factors – overfishing in previous decades and hydroelectric works which have destroyed bocachico’s natural habitat in the process.