A recent rare find in Kashmir’s Dal Lake has researchers quite concerned about the famous body of water. Dal Lake has been a major tourist attraction for a long time in the city of Srinagar. The lake is not only known for its scenic views, but also for the abundant houseboat population that inhabits it.
Rare crocodile fish found in Kashmir’s Dal Lake
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Recently, Dr. Tariq Tramboo shared a video on Twitter revealing that a local had found an alligator marlin in Dal Lake. The fish, while certainly not a threat to human life, still endangers the local ecosystem of the lake, which has raised concerns among researchers and scientists.
The alligator needlefish is native to North America and can be found in some parts of Bhopal and Kerala. Given the existing knowledge about the whereabouts of the species in the world, researchers are still confused about how the fish got trapped in the mountainous regions of Kashmir.
In a conversation with PTI, Dr Shafeeqa Peer, a scientist with the Lake Conservation and Management Authority (LCMA), said: “This is an Alligator Gar fish that is normally found in North America and some parts of India, such as the Upper Bhopal Lake and Kerala Backwaters. Being a predatory fish and a carnivore, it poses a threat to the native species of Dal Lake.”
He added: “What will be the fate of our native fish? In certain places like Bhopal, it has been banned because it thrives on other small fish. It poses a threat to other species and we have yet to come across this type of species here.”
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- Rare crocodile fish found in Kashmir’s Dal Lake
- LMCA is working with SKUAST to find other similar fish in the lake.
LMCA is working with SKUAST to find other similar fish in the lake.
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The LMCA is currently in contact with the Fisheries Department and Fisheries Division of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology. They are working together to find out if there are more of these fish in the lake at the moment.
Peer continued: “We will launch a massive hunt to determine if this is a single fish, if it is accidental or if someone has done a mischief. There are a lot of questions, especially from an ecology and biodiversity standpoint.”
Tramboo, who posted a video of the fish, also wrote in his tweet: “Unfortunately, stories of alligators attacking people and dramatizations on popular TV shows have given these gentle giants a bad name.”
Although he deferred, “But – The biggest threat these species pose is the destruction of the local ecosystem. They will feed on native fish and endangered and vulnerable fish will be constantly disappearing.”
Aligator Gar fish found in Dal Lake. Keep in mind; Alligator Gar is not a threat to humans. Unfortunately, stories of alligators attacking people and dramatizations on popular television shows have given these gentle giants a bad name. But, the biggest threat to these species… pic.twitter.com/7Byt7hXF3T
— Dr. Tariq Tramboo (@tariqtramboo) May 11, 2023
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Source: vtt.edu.vn