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What it is
The Chinese paddlefish (Psephurus gladius) was a giant fish of the Yangtze River that could grow longer than 3 metres. It used its long snout to sense prey in murky water. The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists it as Extinct.
Range
The Yangtze and Yellow River basins in China.
What happened
The Gezhouba Dam, built in 1981, cut the fish off from its spawning grounds upstream. Overfishing had already reduced the population, and the last live fish was seen in 2003.
When / status
Last seen alive in 2003; declared extinct in 2022.
Human role
A dam that blocked its migration, together with overfishing, drove it to extinction.