Wonder To Worry: Are Pufferfish Endangered?

Sharing is caring!

Pufferfish are some of the most fascinating fish on our planet that can be found in tropical and subtropical oceans around the world.

With more than 120 different species, these fish have the amazing ability to increase their normal size by up to two or three times to intimidate predators.

Today we’re going to take a look at the extinction status of the pufferfish and more specifically answer a question many of our readers ask. Are pufferfish endangered?

Some species of pufferfish are endangered and considered vulnerable, however, most populations of this fish are considered stable, and not at threat of extinction.

Are Pufferfish Really Endangered?

For the most part, the population of pufferfish as a whole is stable and not at risk of extinction anytime soon.

That said, some species of puffer such as the Dwarf pufferfish are considered vulnerable, meaning that their population is decreasing.

There are a number of different threats that these fish face, including overfishing, pollution, habitat loss, and much more.

These threats affect many marine animals on our planet including the pufferfish and its various different species.

Why Are Pufferfish Endangered?

The global conservation status of marine pufferfish states that the majority (77%) of pufferfish were assessed as Least Concern, 15% were Data Deficient, and 8% were Threatened, Critically Endangered, Endangered, or Vulnerable.

The majority of pufferfish that fall in the Threatened category are limited-ranging habitat specialists which are primarily affected by habitat loss due to climate change and coastal developments.

That said, one Threatened pufferfish species and four Near Threatened are wide-ranging habitat generalists which are commercially targeted in the international puffer trade.

Although these fish are toxic and generally not considered food, they are still subject to poaching and fishing for the exotic pet industry.

This fish is frequently sought after as aquarium pets, and it’s not uncommon for pufferfish to be pulled from their natural habitats and sold as pets around the globe.

The demand for pufferfish in Japan is increasing at an alarming rate, so much so that fishing grounds are being depleted every year to serve ‘Fugu’.

Fugu is a Japanese dish that is considered a delicacy and is essentially pufferfish meat after some poisonous parts have been removed.

There are numerous reasons why some species of pufferfish are considered vulnerable as they are a highly sought-after fish for many different industries.

Pufferfish Threats

Pufferfish face a variety of different threats in their habitats, as do many marine animals.

Thankfully this small fish is a fighter, and for the most part, their population is stable and has not been fully decimated by outside influence.

Below I’ve listed some of the pufferfish threats that are a concern to their survival;

Pollution

One of the biggest threats that many pufferfish face is pollution. These fish typically consume algae, which means that over time the food available to them is decreasing in areas.

Nutrient pollution can create dead zones in algae, which are areas with little or no oxygen where marine animals can survive.

Hypoxia is caused by algal blooms that consume oxygen as they die and decompose. This essentially starves the fish of oxygen as the algae grow, which is a real problem for pufferfish.

Habitat Loss

Pufferfish can be found in many oceans around the world, but they’re also known to inhabit freshwater too.

In the past century, habitat loss has been the most common cause of extinction for freshwater fish in the United States.

Many saltwater fish, including some pufferfish, are also in decline due to habitat degradation. When these habitats are lost or damaged, they are incredibly difficult to restore.

Marine habitat loss and destruction is where the marine environment or ecological setup is unable to support life due to degradation.

This process is contributed to by many different natural and human activities, which is a real concern for lots of marine life.

Pet Industry

Although pufferfish are well-adapted to life in the oceans, they are still subject to threats from the pet industry.

Many freshwater pufferfish are simply plucked out of their natural habitats and taken to exotic pet stores where they are sold as pets.

A few different species of pufferfish have become Near Threatened because of this activity, and therefore it’s a serious threat to lots of freshwater pufferfish.

Overfishing

Pufferfish that are popular in aquariums suffer from serious overfishing, such as the Dwarf pufferfish which is native to the rivers of Southwest India.

This tiny pufferfish has been overfished continuously for the aquarium trade which has been incredibly damaging to the species’ population.

Predators

Due to the poisonous spikes that pufferfish are covered in and their toxicity, they have very few natural predators in the wild.

However, some species of sharks that do not mind the presence of poison will prey on pufferfish, which can also be a threat to the population.

That said, this is a much more healthy threat than the previous ones listed above as it helps keep sick, ill, or old pufferfish from surviving and allows only the strongest fish to survive and breed.

Final Thoughts

So, are pufferfish endangered? No, for the most part, the majority of their population is stable. However, some species are vulnerable and are considered vulnerable.

The pufferfish face a number of different threats to their species, including pollution, habitat loss, and being overfished.

These fascinating fish are remarkable and have some unique features that are not seen in any other fish in our oceans.

This highly toxic fish contains a highly toxic substance called tetrodotoxin, which is located in the liver, skin, intestines, and ovaries.

This toxin is over 1,200 times more deadly than cyanide, and is capable of killing 30 adult humans per one pufferfish, with no antidote currently known.

Hopefully, this post has been helpful and you’ve learned something new today about pufferfish and the dangers some species face.

Thanks for taking the time to read this post and feel free to share it with others who may find it valuable.