Blue-finned Mahseer

• 04 Jun 2021

Why in News

Recently, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has moved Blue-finned Mahseer from Endangered to the Least Concern’ status on its Red List.

Key Points

• About:
  
  • The Mahseer belongs to the genus Tor, of which there are several subspecies to be found in India and in other range countries in South Asia.
  • The Blue-finned Mahseer or Tor Khudree is one of the subspecies of the Mahseer.
• Habitat:
  
  • Mainly found in the Mota Mola river east of Pune. This species is also found in other rivers of the Deccan Plateau.
  • The species is migratory; moving upstream during rains. It prefers clean, fast flowing and well oxygenated waters.
• Threats:
  
  • Threatened by habitat manipulation, over harvesting and competition from other fish species.
• Significance:
  
  • Freshwater Ecosystem Indicator:
    
    • It is very sensitive to dissolved oxygen levels, water temperature and sudden climatic changes. It just cannot bear pollution.
  • Cultural:
    
    • They have cultural and religious significance as well as they are protected in ‘temple sanctuaries’ across India.
• Conservation Initiatives:
  
  • Tata Power (private company) is involved in conservation of the blue-finned for 50 years in Lonavala (near Pune), Maharashtra.
• Protection status:
  
  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern

International Union for Conservation of Nature

• About:
  
  • IUCN is a membership union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organisations.
  • Created in 1948, it is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. It is headquartered in Switzerland.
• The Red List:
  
  • The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, is the world's most comprehensive inventory of the global conservation status of plant and animal species.
  • It divides species into nine categories: Not Evaluated, Data Deficient, Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild and Extinct.
  • It is recognized as the most authoritative guide to the status of biological diversity.

Source: IE