Suckermouth catfish native to Amazon found in Varanasi; termed 'dangerous for Ganges'

In an alarming incident, a suckermouth catfish was found in the river Ganga in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. The suckermouth catfish are native to the Amazon rainforest in South America and their discovery in the waters of Ganges in an alarming incident because it is considered an invasive species. The catfish was caught by a fisherman in Varanasi. 

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Threat to other marine organisms

The suckermouth catfish are considered dangerous because they are carnivorous and pose threat to other marine organisms around them. The catfish can multiply manifolds and the population keeps increasing as it does not have a natural predator because they are tasteless. Scientists from the Banaras Hindu University (BHU) examined the suckermouth catfish and confirmed that they are the same species found in the Amazon. 

The scientists advised against releasing the suckermouth catfish back into the Ganges citing concerns that it will pose a serious threat to other marine creatures and ecosystems of the river by consuming most of the food sources. 

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According to a Twitter user named Punam Kerketta, whose bio reads 'Environmentalist/Conservationist/WildLife (Indigenous Knowledge, Languages, Art & Culture)', the discovery of the suckermouth catfish is the second of its kind within a month. She says that the discovery may even cause native species of Ganges to go extinct. 

Earlier this year, Amazon sailfin catfish was found in the northeastern state of Manipur. According to Punam, it was also found in the Ganges river of Bihar a few years ago and in the Brahmaputra river in Assam. 

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