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The Mekong

The Mekong has more types of wildlife than any other river in the world, outside of the Amazon.

Explore rivers and wetlands

Why the Mekong is so important

For its size, the Mekong is packed with more kinds of wildlife than any other river. Only the enormous Amazon river can top it.

There are over 1,000 different types of creature swimming the waters of the mighty Mekong, including the last remaining Irrawaddy dolphins in the Mekong, giant freshwater stingray that can weigh up to 600kg, and the Mekong giant catfish .

More than 70 million people live in the Mekong river basin, and they rely on the river for drinking water, food, irrigation, hydropower, transportation and commerce. The Mekong and its wildlife have strong cultural significance too.

The Mekong River also boasts the world's largest inland fishery. It produces up to a quarter of the world’s total haul of freshwater fish – 2.5 million tonnes a year – and provides livelihoods for at least 60 million people. Fish is a staple food along the Mekong.

But the river is increasingly under threat – not just from overfishing, but also from dams, especially large hydropower dams. Hydropower can be a cheap and clean source of energy, but if it’s done badly it can be catastrophic – for the environment and for local fishing. We need to help make Mekong hydropower sustainable.

Location of the Mekong

The Mekong River starts up among the glaciers of the Himalayas and ends by flowing into the South China Sea. On the way it winds through parts of China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam.

About the Mekong

The Mekong is the longest river in south-east Asia, winding almost 4,800km from the mountains of Tibet down to the south of Vietnam. Its river basin covers almost 800,000sq km.

The biggest environmental talking point on the Mekong at the moment is the building of huge dams – which, it’s estimated, could reduce the river’s fish stocks by more than 40%. Not to mention the damage they could do to other river wildlife.

Part of the construction process for dams often involves using explosives to remove tons of rock. The soundwaves alone from these blasts can harm animals like dolphins up to several miles away.

The already threatened Irrawaddy dolphin is at the head of the concern list in the Mekong. With fewer than 90 left in the river, losing any more would be disastrous.

On top of all this, the International Panel for Climate Change has identified the Mekong delta as one of the three most vulnerable river deltas on the planet

We’re working with government and community organisations to improve the management of the Mekong’s natural resources, and create a sustainable future for the river.

Wildlife in the Mekong

The Mekong is home to a huge variety of wildlife – including the giant catfish, one of the world’s biggest freshwater fish, and the locally revered but critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphin.

Sun bears

Gibbons

Douc Langur

Saola

Challenges affecting The Mekong

Working with fishing communities

We’re also offering communities training and equipment to help manage their fishing and protect their dolphins. We’re encouraging community fisheries, which monitor fish catches in their part of the river, establish no-take zones in important wildlife areas, and form patrols to stop illegal fishing. We’re also educating people and schools about the need to protect the Mekong, and helping communities move to alternative livelihoods like ecotourism, and reduce their dependence on fishing.

Challenges affecting The Mekong

Working with business & government

Our partnership with HSBC as part of the HSBC Water Programme works with businesses and governments to help them make better decisions about siting and designing dams, and to consider less-damaging options. For example there have been proposals for alternative ‘Water Diversion Projects’ that would produce almost as much electricity as the huge dams, but without blocking the river channel and preventing fish migration – and even at a lower cost.

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Which environments are found in the Mekong

Forests

Rivers and wetlands

Success Story

Making hydropower sustainable in the Mekong

We’ve been campaigning to stop dam construction on the Mekong. November 2015 , the Laos government decided to go ahead with the construction of the controversial Xayaburi hydropower dam. It’s been criticised as potentially one of the most damaging dams ever built – even an environmental disaster waiting to happen. It’s the first dam to span the whole width of the main lower Mekong river, and it could have irreversible environmental impacts. We've encouraged Thai bank lenders to withdraw from the project, and supported a community court case against the dam. We’ve also asked for the halting of another construction on the Mekong, the Don Sahong dam.