Critically endangered fish makes incredible comeback after turning tables on its biggest threat: 'It's provided a lot of hope'

A critically endangered fish in Australia's Mary River seems to have a workable approach to deal with invasive tilapia that's competing for food and habitat.

The cod's response to the overcrowding? If you can't beat 'em, eat 'em. That's according to findings reported on by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, or ABC.

The pest tilapia are located on a 180-mile stretch of river between the Sunshine Coast and the Great Sandy Strait. They have plagued waterways Down Under since at least 1978. The fish can carry and protect up to 1,000 eggs during reproduction. As a result, they have become a prolific problem, eating the offspring and food sources of endangered species that include turtles and lungfish, per ABC.

The tilapia provides more than a mouthful. A photo shared by ABC shows a tail sticking out of a cod's mouth. The other half is headed stomachward. Experts who found cod attempting to eat the pesky fish consider it a big win for conservation.

The cod can eat fish up to half their size, the report stated.

"There was always the hope and suspicion that they [cod] were eating everything. It's provided a lot of hope for people that are invested in healthy cod populations across the board," Tom Espinoza, chief executive for the Burnett Mary Regional Group, a conservation agency, said in the story.

The cod is considered an apex predator. Experts have found evidence of regurgitated possums and lizards to prove the point. So it's not surprising that tilapia has shown up on the menu.

Regardless, the cod is now only found in 30% of its former range, according to ABC. And predators are important parts of the environment, preventing other species from overrunning habitats. For example, wolves can keep beaver populations in check, stopping overzealous dam-making that can turn forests into wetlands, the University of Minnesota explained.

On the Missouri and Platte rivers stateside, the silver carp has become an invasive species that has overfilled the waterways. The fish are so abundant that they literally jump into boats. Inventive efforts are underway to harvest the troublemakers for leather, food, and other uses.

ABC reported that tilapia spread in Australia with the help of flood waters. NASA has linked increased risks for severe floods to our planet's warming, as well. The experts interviewed by the news agency said that it's unlikely the tilapia can be contained, since it's so well-dispersed. Enhancing benefits for native species, and coming up with creative ways to use tilapia — like for fertilizer — can help.

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As for threatened animals, the United Nations reported that habitat loss in conjunction with planet warming is driving about a million kinds of critters to the brink of extinction. Some could be gone within decades. Pollinator populations, of vital bees and butterflies, are dwindling. They are needed for 35% of the world's food crops, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Fortunately, rebounds can be made, as evidenced by conservation work with the bluefin tuna. It was reported last year to have returned to British waters after being deemed endangered there.

Success for Australia's Mary River cod is dependent on how we help it, per the experts.

"If we can support populations … they'll quickly get to a size where they can eat the tilapia," Espinoza told ABC.

While invasive problems sometimes seem like faraway concerns, there's likely a similar situation happening in your region (looking at you emerald ash borer). Staying educated on your local environment can uncover ways to help. Simply talking about the problems with your family and friends — maybe over a plant-based dinner — and supporting eco-friendly brands can keep the issues top-of-mind and encourage more planet-friendly actions.

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