14 October,2026 10:28 PM IST | | Ranjeet Jadhav
Rare Borna snakehead fish. Pic/ Special Arrangement
Just a year after its historic rediscovery by researchers, the rare Borna snakehead (Channa amphibeus) is facing a fresh crisis. The Thackeray Wildlife Foundation (TWF) has issued an urgent appeal to Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav, warning that the micro-endemic freshwater fish is being heavily targeted by poachers to supply the international aquarium trade.
Native exclusively to the Chel River basin in northern West Bengal, the species was first described in 1845 before virtually disappearing from scientific records for more than 80 years. Its rediscovery by the TWF team in 2025 marked a major milestone for Indian conservation. However, the initial excitement has quickly turned to concern.
According to the TWF, virtually all specimens currently circulating in the global private pet trade are wild-caught from the Chel River. Given the snakehead's extremely limited geographic range, conservationists warn that unregulated harvesting could push the newly rediscovered populations towards local extinction.
Although the species is currently listed as âLeast Concern' on the IUCN Red List, the foundation argues that this classification is outdated and urgently needs to be reassessed. Its limited distribution, it says, makes the species particularly vulnerable to overexploitation.
In a letter addressed to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, TWF president Tejas Udhav Thackeray outlined four key interventions needed to protect the species:
Legal protection: Include Channa amphibeus in the highest protection category under the Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972, to strengthen legal safeguards against unauthorised capture, transit and commercial trade.
On-ground enforcement: Deploy targeted anti-poaching patrols and monitoring networks across the Chel River basin to intercept illegal collection networks.
Habitat protection: Establish protected aquatic reserves along critical stretches of the river to safeguard sensitive habitats, including riverbank burrows, from siltation and destruction.
Community stewardship: Work with local riverine and fishing communities, empowering residents to act as frontline guardians against external poachers.
With commercial listings for the rare fish reportedly already active on international online platforms, the foundation has submitted supporting evidence to the ministry, urging swift administrative and on-ground action to protect the fragile ecology of the Chel River system.
