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In the dark, tannin-stained waters of Bangka Island’s swamp forests, SHOAL Local Action Partners from Airlangga University, Indonesia are working hard to save one of the country’s aquatic treasures: the Critically Endangered Betta burdigala. The species, endemic to Bangka, thrives in the unique, acidic waters of the region’s peat swamps.
Betta burdigala is a blackwater swamp specialist, perfectly adapted to its environment. Its labyrinth organ allows it to breathe air directly, a vital trait for surviving the low-oxygen conditions of flooded peatlands. However, these habitats are disappearing rapidly, threatened by palm oil plantations, tin mining, pollution, and overexploitation. The stakes are high, but a dedicated team of researchers and local collaborators is determined to ensure this fish’s survival.
A Multi-Faceted Approach to Conservation
This project is a collaboration between SHOAL, ASAP, Airlangga University, and local experts like Veryl Hasan. A key component is the captive breeding programme, where Betta burdigala pairs are conditioned in hatcheries, to be released into the species’ native habitat, boosting populations. The fish have fascinating parental care behaviours: males take gulps of air from the surface and blow out a bubble, which rests alongside hundreds of other bubbles, constructing a bubble nest where the fish guard their eggs and fry. In every breeding cycle, a single pair can produce up to 15 juveniles, which are raised until they are ready for reintroduction into the wild.
To maintain genetic diversity, the team works with skilled fish catchers to collect enough broodstock from the wild. This ensures the reintroduced population has the resilience to thrive in its restored habitat.
Addressing Habitat Threats
The conservation of Betta burdigala is intertwined with protecting its habitat. Peat swamp forests, a globally endangered ecosystem, are being destroyed for agriculture and mining. Compounding the problem, forest edges near urban areas often accumulate plastic waste, further degrading the environment.
Recognising this, the team is taking bold steps toward habitat preservation. The next phase involves establishing a fish sanctuary deep within the heart of Bangka’s peat swamp forests. Guided by knowledge from local collectors and hobbyists, the sanctuary will offer a safe-haven where reintroduced Betta burdigala can flourish, along with other vulnerable species like the beautiful Parosphromenus deissneri and the enigmatic Kottelatlimia pristes.
A Shared Responsibility
This effort extends beyond science; it’s a collaboration with local communities and government to foster long-term sustainability. By raising awareness about the importance of these habitats and their unique inhabitants, the project ensures that conservation becomes a shared responsibility.
Josie South, fish ecologist at the University of Leeds, who has been guiding the assessment and ecological aspects of the work on Betta burdigala, said, “The success of the Betta burdigala project indicates the capacity for real change from inclusive management involving higher education, hobbyists, government, conservation and fishers working together to preserve biodiversity. Having reintroduced 147 juveniles and locating a prospective fish sanctuary site as well as a site with rehabilitation potential we can see that there is hope for conservation of these overlooked peat swamp fish”.
In saving Betta burdigala, this initiative is doing more than protecting a single species—it’s preserving an entire ecosystem. And in the peaty waters of Bangka Island, hope for the swamp forests and their extraordinary life forms glimmers on.
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