Overview
- Researchers reported Thursday in Scientific Reports that shellear fish (Parakneria thysi) climb the cliffs of Luvilombo Falls in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, confirming decades of local accounts with photos and video from 2018–2020 fieldwork.
- The fish press their pectoral and pelvic fins against wet rock using microscopic hook-like structures to gain friction, then wiggle their tails to inch upward in the waterfall’s splash zone.
- A typical ascent covers roughly 50 feet over about 9 to 10 hours with brief bursts of movement and long rests on small ledges, and some fish lose their grip and must start over from the base.
- The vertical migration occurs near the end of the rainy season, mainly in April and early May around sunset, when thousands can congregate on predictable ledges during the climb.
- Authors warn that illegal netting at these choke points and a proposed upstream river diversion for irrigation could wipe out local populations, prompting calls for targeted protection in Upemba National Park.