Dangerous ‘alligator gar’ fish was found in the canal of Diamond Harbor.

Dangerous ‘alligator gar’ fish was found in the canal of Diamond Harbor.


Dangerous ‘Alligator Gar’ fish was found in the Magra canal of Diamond Harbor.

On Thursday morning, locals in the Lenin Nagar area of ​​the city's 12th ward saw the crocodile-like fish floating in the water of a canal along the Hooghly River.

The fish, which was almost unconscious, died in a short time. Strange visitors rushed to the area to see this fish. The villagers later handed over the fish known as ‘primitive fish’ or ‘living fossil’ to the forest department.

According to zoologists, this species is mainly found off the coasts of North America and Mexico. This omnivorous match can survive equally in fresh water or freshwater as well as salt water. According to scientists, Alligator Gar is a major threat to the balance of biodiversity due to its aggressive omnivorous character.



The body of the torpedo-shaped fish, about 5 feet long, is covered with hard, sharp scales that look like enamel. The fish weighed about 20 kg. A top official of the forest department said that the meat of Gar fish is not very tasty.

According to local sources in Diamond Harbor, a housewife named Rupa Mistry was the first to see the fish floating in the river in a semi-conscious state. "I was scared at first when I saw this creature that looked like a crocodile. I thought the crocodile had entered the canal. But later I realized it was something else. The animal was floating almost unconscious. Then I brought the animal out of the water with the help of neighbors, ”said Rupa Mistry.

But forest officials have yet to find a clue as to how the alligator gar fish entered Hooghly Bay. “We have recently learned that alligator gar has been found in the coastal areas of Maharashtra and Kerala. However, this is probably the first time such fish has been seen in the coastal region of West Bengal. We suspect that the fish was probably smuggled into the aquarium, "said a Forest Department official.

Alligator Gar fish is an alien and predatory fish, said Professor Tanmoy Sanyal, a teacher in the Department of Zoology at Krishnanagar Government College and an expert in ecology, toxicology, limonology, environment and biodiversity. These fish could pose a potentially significant threat to local and marine biodiversity if such fish are unknowingly hiding in canal beels or rivers. They are omnivorous and aggressive. As a result, it is dangerous for the natural balance. Alligator Gar Hunter. They are at the top of the food chain and can survive unusually long years due to their unique biological processes. That is why scientists call this fish a living fossil.

An alligator can be up to 6 feet long. They can survive in high salinity as well as in freshwater or fresh water. Carp species such as rhubarb in sweet water and hilsa in salt water can cause serious damage to catfish, said Dr. Sanyal.

“My guess is that this kind of fish could be brought in for aquarium business or for gaming. But later someone may have left it in the river because of not being able to handle it or because of the problem of daily food supply. The Fisheries and Forest Department should investigate the matter, ”said Professor Sanyal.

He also demanded that the list of imported fish be immediately revised to prevent the entry of such dangerous fish. "In order to protect the country's riverine biodiversity, it is important to prevent the intrusion of such fish," he said.