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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsYes—small shellear fish (*Parakneria thysi*) have been documented climbing Luvilombo Falls in the upper Congo Basin of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The falls are about 15 meters high (roughly 50 feet). A 2026 peer-reviewed study recorded the behavior in photographs and video, showing fish gripping the damp rock face with specialized fin pads as they move upward.
Which fish climbs Luvilombo Falls?
The climber is *Parakneria thysi*, a species known as the shellear. The ascent takes place at Luvilombo Falls on the Luvilombo River, in the upper Congo Basin of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The 2026 study in Scientific Reports is the first published documentation of this behavior for the species with photographic and video evidence; the authors note that the ability had been known anecdotally for more than 50 years. Read the study.
How do the fish climb a waterfall?
They climb the damp edge, not a sheer dry wall
The fish move up the splash zone: rock kept moist by regular spills from the falls, where water flow is limited. During maximum flood levels, researchers observed climbers using rocky edges at the sides of the falls. The behavior is a sequence of gripping and upward movement across wet rock, rather than a jump through open air or a swim against the full force of the waterfall.
Fins provide grip and movement
The fish brace themselves with their pectoral fins, supported by their pelvic fins. Pads on the undersides of both fin pairs carry tiny hook-like projections that help them cling to the rock. They then propel themselves by moving the rear part of the body laterally. The study also examines their anatomy, but some interpretations of skeletal features are presented as probable and require further analysis.
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How many fish climb, and when?
Researchers estimated that thousands of small- to medium-sized fish took part in the ascent. The climbing individuals measured about 37–48 millimeters in standard length—the measurement from the snout to the base of the tail, excluding the tail fin. The paper gives the species’ maximum size as about 96 millimeters standard length. These are study estimates and measurements, not a precise census of the population.
The climbs were observed during major floods around the end of the rainy season, usually in April and May. Field campaigns took place in April and May in 2018, 2019, and 2020; the authors report the phenomenon in 2018 and on several dates in 2020. During the described April 2020 campaign, the team observed the falls for ten hours per day.
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Why do the fish migrate uphill?
The study documents the ascent but does not establish its purpose. The authors suggest that flood-related habitat conditions may trigger the movement. One possibility is that floods create habitat downstream and fish later move upstream to recolonize areas. These are proposed explanations, not a confirmed account of why the fish climb.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What does the study say about the river?
The paper also identifies occasional complete drying of the Luvilombo River during the dry season, mostly associated with water withdrawal for cropland irrigation. When a river dries completely, its ecological continuity is disrupted. The authors identify this as a serious impact; the study does not establish a population decline caused by the climbing behavior.
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