Conserving Dor's Loach (Oxynoemacheilusinsignis)

Dor's Loach (Oxynoemacheilus insignis) is a freshwater fish found nowhere else in the world but Israel. Today, it is on the brink of extinction, with its only remaining wild population surviving in the Ein Malkoah Nature Reserve in the Beit She'an Valley.Recognizing the urgent need to protect the species, rangers from the Israel Nature and Parks Authority collected a small number of fish from the wild population in 2011 to establish a captive breeding program as an insurance population against extinction. In 2017, fish bred in captivity were introduced into an artificial habitat in the Beit She'an Valley in an attempt to establish a second wild population. Although the project did not succeed, it provided valuable experience for future conservation efforts.In 2018, the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo joined the project at the request of the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, receiving approximately 1,000 fish from the breeding program to create a secure backup population for the critically endangered wild fish living in Ein Malkoah. The breeding program flourished at the zoo, with the fish reproducing successfully behind the scenes. A small number of individuals were also introduced into the Wet Side Story exhibit, allowing visitors to discover one of Israel's rarest freshwater species. As part of an international conservation strategy, around 20 fish were transferred to Vienna Zoo, creating an additional safeguard population through the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo's partnership with the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA).In 2020, the Gottesman Family Israel Aquarium became an active partner in managing and advancing the program, working to further improve breeding success both in the aquarium's conservation facilities and on public display.Today, researchers, the Israel Nature and Parks Authority, the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, and the Israel Aquarium continue to work together to breed and study this extraordinary species. Their long-term goal is to strengthen captive populations, deepen scientific understanding of the fish's biology and ecology, and ultimately restore Dor's Loach to suitable habitats in the wild, ensuring that this unique part of Israel's natural heritage is preserved for future generations.