The Blue-Finned Mahseer, which was on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) red list of endangered species, has now moved to the ‘least concern’.
- The TATA group is involved in conservation of the blue-finned and golden mahseer for 50 years in Lonavala.
- Around five lakh mahseer are bred at the Walvan Hatchery in Lonavala, where an artificial lake has been created by damming the Indrayani River.
- However, the golden mahseer is still in danger of going extinct.
About Mahseer
- The Mahseer is a fish that has a royal presence and impressive qualities. It belongs to a freshwater species that for many years has faced the threat of extinction in the wild.
- The Western Ghats region is famous for freshwater biodiversity. Mahseer, belonging to the genus Tor, is considered a prized sports fish of great cultural value.
- In the Cauvery, the Mahseer community comprises two varieties—a “blue-finned” fish and an “orange-finned, hump-backed” one.
- According to a report published in the Down To Earth, the introduction of the non-native, blue-finned Mahseer has had a catastrophic effect on the numbers of endemic Mahseer in the Cauvery.
(Source: Indian Express)
