[1] The species is highly prized as a food fish, but it has declined due to overfishing and habitat loss, making it vulnerable.

[1] It was well-known even in ancient times and there are illustrations from 1500–1000 BC showing Assyrian priests or deities dressed in the skin of mangar.

[citation needed] The mangar occurs in the drainage basins of the Euphrates and Tigris rivers in Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey.

[1] The mangar has been recorded feeding on a wide range of animals, from zooplankton and invertebrate to fish and birds, but also phytoplankton.

Although some locations still show abundant numbers, widespread exploitation as a major target for inland fisheries is considered a cause for concern.