Geography

• In the wild, bichirs are only found in tropical Africa (for example, Nigeria and Zaire) in both the Nile River and Congo River ecosystems.
  
  

Aquatic Environment

• Bichirs live in shallow fresh water, from clear rivers to murky swamps. Carnivorous predators, bichirs prefer terrain with rocks, logs and vegetation to hide in while hunting for their prey.
  
  

Air-Breathers

• Bichirs have adapted to living in stagnant or swamp waters with low oxygen. They have specialized swim bladders, gills with increased surface area and can suck in air from the surface through their noses without opening their mouths. Bichirs can also walk on land using their pectoral fins to find a new habitat if it is nearby.
  
  

Camouflage

• The earth-tone coloration, dappled appearance and plated scales of the bichir help it conceal itself in the rocky bottoms of the waters it inhabits. Though adult bichirs have no real predators besides humans, young bichirs are eaten by almost anything bigger, including other bichirs.
  
  

Prey

• The bichir eats frogs, worms, small crustaceans, small fish and insect larvae. The Toronto Zoo feeds its bichir population bloodworms, brine shrimp, and fish and beef heart gels.