Whitespotted wedgefish

How it lives

It lives near the seabed in shallow coastal water, often inshore and in estuaries, at depths of about 1 to 75 m. It gives birth to live young, about four pups per litter, born in summer at about 43 to 60 cm. It matures at about 177 cm. It is harmless to people. In Kenya, 24 newborn-sized animals (23 to 60 cm) were caught in prawn trawls in Malindi-Ungwana Bay in 2019 to 2021, and this is the only Kenyan coastal site where newborns have been documented.

Where it goes

Little is known about how far it travels. It lives in the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and the western Indian Ocean down to South Africa. In Kenya, newborn wedgefish have been recorded in Malindi-Ungwana Bay, which suggests the bay is used as a nursery.

We only draw a journey on the map when scientists have tracked it or clearly documented it. For this animal we have not found one yet.

Populations

Critically Endangered worldwide. Fishing has reduced its numbers by more than 80 percent over three generations. It was once thought to be one widespread Indo-Pacific species, but research showed a group of four species, and this one is restricted to the Red Sea, the Persian Gulf and the western Indian Ocean to South Africa. It is on CITES Appendix II. In Kenya, the bay is recognised as an Important Shark and Ray Area, and the species is caught as bycatch in prawn trawls. In 2022, Kenya landed 1,080 tonnes of sharks and rays, and almost half the rays landed were immature.