Last of the Giants: Wild Fish, April 28, 2024, Nat Geo, “Bolivian Behemoth”

Last of the Giants: Wild Fish returns to National Geographic with a new episode, “Bolivian Behemoth,” airing on Sunday, April 28, 2024. The episode follows host Cyril Chauquet and his team of adventure filmmakers as they embark on perilous missions to find, study, and protect the planet’s last giant fish.

Chauquet ventures into remote lakes and faces life-threatening encounters in his quest for the giant paiche, a freshwater giant introduced to Bolivia by accident in 1976. Despite initial resistance as an exotic species, the paiche is now prized by local fishers for its economic value. Chauquet and his team must navigate the treacherous waters of the Bolivian Amazon, encountering hidden stingrays, black piranhas, and massive falling trees in their pursuit of this invasive behemoth.

There is a complex relationship between the paiche and the local communities, highlighting the fish’s status as both a blessing and a curse. While the paiche has revolutionized the livelihoods of Bolivian fishers, it has also potentially contributed to the disappearance of native fish species. There is clearly some impact by the paiche on the region’s biodiversity as well as a lack of government regulation surrounding this exotic species.

Last of the Giants: Wild Fish – Bolivian Behemoth airs on National Geographic at 10:00 PM on Sunday, April 28, 2024.