The Chinese bahaba, a critically endangered fish nicknamed the 'Panda of the Sea,' was missing from Hong

The Chinese bahaba, once common in the waters around Hong Kong, has reappeared in local records for the first time in over a decade. Known as the Panda of the Sea, this critically endangered fish faced near-extinction due to overfishing and high demand for its swim bladder in traditional medicine. Traditional monitoring methods, which involve large nets, often damaged the seabed and put the remaining fish at further risk. To solve this, researchers from Lingnan University and South China Normal University turned to environmental DNA technology to track the species without disturbance.

This method allows scientists to identify the presence of the fish by detecting microscopic genetic traces like skin mucus or waste in seawater samples. Between January and September 2025, the team collected over 400 samples from 23 locations across western Hong Kong. Their efforts proved successful, as lab analysis confirmed the presence of Chinese bahaba DNA in four specific zones, including Tai O and the Southwest Lantau Marine Park.

The highest concentrations of DNA were found near Tai O, which correlates with a local conservation program. In August 2025, wildlife groups released approximately 1,300 farm-raised young fish into the Pearl River Estuary to bolster wild populations. The presence of eDNA in these waters indicates that the released juveniles are successfully moving into local habitats.

This breakthrough provides conservationists with a reliable tool to monitor the survival of released fish and evaluate the effectiveness of protection programs. By moving away from invasive netting and toward molecular monitoring, researchers can now protect these sensitive marine environments while gathering the data necessary for long-term species recovery.