A World Day for the Banggai Cardinalfish, Pterapogon kauderni

A fish endemic to the Banggaï Islands in Indonesia, the cardinalfish is classified an endangered species by the IUCN, a victim of the aquarium trade and the deterioration of its habitat.

EAZA, the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, recommends the creation of a European Endangered Species Programme – EEP – for this species. 

The association is also proposing a World Day for this little tropical fish - on 6 August - to raise awareness around the threats to its survival and the measures taken to protect it.

The EEPs, originally created to coordinate the management and reproduction of the species present in zoos and aquariums, are increasingly focusing on a conservation role. Moreover, Nausicaá takes part in many conservation programmes.

These programmes consist in collecting data particularly regarding rearing, survival, lifespan and best practices from the zoos and aquariums that house these species. This information is compiled in a database to improve our knowledge of these species, but it is also used to help the conservation efforts in the natural habitat.

The EEPs also play an educational role, notably with the general public. In this respect, public aquariums occupy an important place owing to their ability to inform their visitors about the threats weighing on marine species. 

They also raise awareness around the marine species’ breeding and rearing work of their aquariological teams which aims to reduce the number of specimens being taken from their natural habitat, and makes zoos and aquariums biodiversity conservatories.