The greater weather loach, also known as the ‘weeraal’, is a protected freshwater fish that can grow up to 30 centimeters. It used to be kept at home in a fishbowl as a kind of living barometer. The species is critically endangered in Flanders and Europe. For a long time, it was thought that the fish had completely disappeared from Gent, but recent research revealed a residual population that is now being reinforced.
The Research Institute for Nature and Forest (INBO) released hundreds of young fish, measuring 8 to 12 centimeters and originating from their breeding center in Linkebeek, into the Bourgoyen today. The nature reserve in Gent can thus become a breeding ground for the species.
This release underscores the value of the urban nature reserve and makes the Gent Species Plan concrete. The initiative provides endangered species with space and the opportunity to establish themselves sustainably, contributing to greater biodiversity in Gent.
This is not the first time the greater weather loach has been released in the Bourgoyen; in June of this year, young specimens were also introduced into the water. In a few years, a sample will be taken to map the population's size and age structure. The release is considered successful if the animals reproduce.
