Vendace facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Vendace |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Coregonus
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| Species: |
vandesius
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| Synonyms | |
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Coregonus gracilior |
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The vendace (scientific name: Coregonus vandesius) is a special type of freshwater whitefish. It lives in cold, deep lakes in the United Kingdom. Sadly, there are fewer vendace now than there used to be. Since the 1960s, scientists have seen their numbers go down. This fish is now only found in a few lakes, like Bassenthwaite Lake and Derwent Water.
The biggest dangers to the vendace are pollution and new types of fish. These new fish can eat the vendace's eggs and young. Because of these problems, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says the vendace is an "endangered" animal. This means it is at risk of disappearing forever.
About the Vendace Name
The scientific name for the vendace is Coregonus vandesius. Some scientists think it might be the same as another fish called Coregonus albula. That fish is found in many places in Northern Europe. Both fish are often called "vendace." But some experts, like those at FishBase, still think C. vandesius is its own unique species.
The word "vendace" comes from an old word. It came from a Latin word, vandesius. This word was used for a different fish, the common dace. The word likely has roots in old Celtic languages. It might be linked to an old Irish word meaning "white."
Vendace Life and Habits
The vendace loves to live in deep, cold lakes. It does not travel far from its home lake. Its main food is tiny water creatures called planktonic crustaceans. These are like very small shrimp.
The vendace usually lives for about six years. This fish is now considered Britain's rarest fish.
Where Vendace Live
The vendace has only ever been found naturally in four places in Britain. These are Bassenthwaite Lake and Derwent Water in the English Lake District. The other two places are Castle Loch and Mill Loch in Lochmaben, Scotland.
For a while, people thought the vendace had disappeared from all these places except Derwent Water. The fish vanished from Castle Loch early in the 1900s. It also disappeared from Mill Loch in the 1990s. At Bassenthwaite Lake, no vendace were seen after 2001. But happily, they were found there again in 2014!
Scientists believe the fish numbers went down because of two main things. One is other fish that were brought into the lakes. These new fish eat the vendace. The other problem is pollution. For example, a water treatment plant near Bassenthwaite Lake used to overflow. This caused a lot of algae blooms, which used up the oxygen in the lake. This was bad for the fish. The plant was fixed in 2004 to stop this from happening.
Saving the Vendace
The vendace lives in a very small area. The total space it lives in is less than 500 square kilometers (about 193 square miles). We don't know if their numbers are still going down or if they are stable. The biggest dangers are still pollution and new fish species. Because of this, the International Union for Conservation of Nature says the vendace is "endangered."
To help save the vendace, some fish were moved. In the 1990s, vendace were put into Loch Skeen in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. This was done to protect them. It was a way to save them outside their natural home. This plan has worked very well. A survey showed that Loch Skeen now has almost ten times more vendace than Derwent Water.
Another group of vendace was moved in 2011. They were put into Sprinkling Tarn. This is a mountain lake about 10 miles from Derwentwater. The idea was to create a safe place for the fish in cooler water. This helps protect the species for the future.
