The Sad Fate of the Handfish
Fundacion Rapala – This unusual fish, known for its striking bright red “hands,” goes by the name red handfish. However, behind its charming and quirky appearance hides a heartbreaking reality — the species is teetering on the brink of extinction.
Its wild population keeps shrinking year after year. At one point, scientists counted around 100 individuals. Now, experts estimate only about 75 remain. The drop happened after conservationists moved 25 handfish into the care of the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS) in Australia. Since threats in the wild were escalating, they acted quickly and secured special permission from the Australian government to relocate these fish from their natural habitat.
A Unique but Vulnerable Creature
The red handfish belongs to the anglerfish family, and it stands out for several fascinating reasons. Unlike most fish, it lacks a swim bladder — the organ that helps control buoyancy. Instead, it uses its large, hand-like fins to “walk” along the seabed.
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This fish is extremely small, growing only about 8 centimeters long. Its colors range from pink to deep red or brown, and its face always seems to frown. The Handfish Conservation Project once joked, “If you’ve never seen a handfish before, imagine dipping a frog in bright paint and forcing it to wear gloves two sizes too big.” That description captures both its odd beauty and its almost comical charm.
An Extremely Limited Habitat
Even more concerning, the red handfish lives in an incredibly restricted range. Right now, it survives in only two small reef areas off southeast Hobart, Tasmania. Unfortunately, many threats keep endangering these fragile habitats. For example, boat traffic, anchoring, and coastal development disrupt the environment. Additionally, pollution, nutrient runoff, invasive species, and the worsening effects of climate change make survival even harder.
Because its range is so limited, even small environmental changes can cause devastating impacts. Therefore, conservationists must protect every patch of its habitat to ensure survival.
A Unique Way of Moving — and Its Drawbacks
One of the most interesting aspects of the red handfish is the way it moves. Rather than swimming like most fish, it “walks” along the ocean floor using its pectoral fins. While this is a charming adaptation, it also creates a serious disadvantage. The fish cannot swim far or fast, so it struggles to escape predators or relocate to safer areas.
The species also lacks a larval stage. As a result, young handfish do not drift with ocean currents to settle in new habitats. This inability to spread means that if one area becomes unlivable, the population there will vanish completely.
Serious Threats to Survival
Unfortunately, the red handfish faces several severe threats. One of the most urgent comes from native sea urchins overgrazing the underwater vegetation the fish depends on. When combined with the growing frequency of marine heatwaves, the danger becomes even greater.
Dr. Jemina Stuart-Smith, who leads the red handfish research and conservation program at IMAS, explained the situation. She said habitat loss reduces hiding places and fragments microhabitats, making survival harder as water temperatures climb. “Temperature data from the sites show that this summer has far exceeded previous maximums. These unprecedented high temperatures are likely adding extra stress to an already fragile population,” she said.
Emergency Action for Protection
Faced with these alarming changes, experts organized an emergency meeting to decide on the best course of action. After reviewing the data and evaluating risks, they chose to relocate 25 red handfish from the wild to the IMAS Taroona facility for protection and care.
Dr. Andrew Trotter, who leads the IMAS conservation breeding project, described the move. “This strategy isn’t without risk, but our relocation from the ocean to the aquarium went smoothly, and the fish adapted well to their new home,” he said.
Ongoing Care and Future Plans
Despite the risks, Dr. Trotter and his team keep the fish under constant supervision. “Our highly experienced staff care for them seven days a week, with a 24-hour on-call schedule. We’re confident they’re safe here. Of course, we feel a heightened responsibility knowing how few remain in the wild,” he said.
Looking forward, the team aims to return the red handfish to their natural habitat during winter — but only if environmental conditions improve. In the meantime, conservationists continue working tirelessly to protect this rare species. Through their dedication, they hope to secure the red handfish’s future before it disappears completely.