BRIN–UBB Team Up to Save Bangka Belitung’s Endangered Betta Species
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- BRIN and UBB are collaborating to conserve Betta burdigala, an endemic Bangka Belitung fish listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN.
- The project combines domestication, hatchery evaluation and restocking plans, supported by long-term genetic diversity monitoring.
- Researchers say the model could be replicated to improve conservation of other endemic fish species across Indonesia and support local fisheries.
An endemic fish species from Indonesia’s Bangka Belitung Islands is facing a steep population decline, prompting the National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and the University of Bangka Belitung (UBB) to step up conservation efforts.
In a statement published on its official website, BRIN said Betta burdigala is listed as Critically Endangered, citing data from the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
BRIN also noted that several other endemic Betta species found across Bangka and Belitung fall under threatened categories, ranging from Endangered (EN) to Vulnerable (VU). Researchers say conservation backed by scientific research is crucial to ensure these fish survive, particularly as they are seen as part of the region’s ecological heritage and potential economic icon.
Conserving Bangka Belitung’s endemic fish: Betta burdigala
The BRIN–UBB collaboration focuses on domestication research and genetic diversity monitoring of endemic Betta species from the Bangka Belitung archipelago that have undergone domestication.
MH Fariduddin Ath-Thar, a researcher at BRIN’s Applied Zoology Research Center and the lead scientist on the project, said domestication research on Betta burdigala is important not only to restore the species’ presence, but also to protect the genetic diversity of wild populations.
Echoing the point, UBB project lead Ahmad Fahrul Syarif said population recovery efforts would be tied to the fish’s natural habitat.
“This collaboration also supports population recovery in its original habitat through domestication and sustainable genetic management,” he said, as quoted by BRIN on Thursday (Feb. 12, 2026).
As an initial domestication step, Betta burdigala will be moved into a controlled environment. Researchers will then assess the effectiveness of hatchery operations and restocking programs by monitoring changes in genetic diversity.
The initiative is aimed not only at rebuilding stocks of the endemic fish in the wild. Its findings are also expected to provide a scientific basis for recommendations on genetic conservation strategies for Betta burdigala.
BRIN added that the approach could be replicated to make genetic diversity monitoring and conservation of other endemic fish species across Indonesia easier and more accurate.
The partnership is also expected to accelerate the use of research outcomes by local communities, including in the fisheries sector.
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