FISH DIVERSITY AND CONSERVATION PERSPECTIVES IN WETLAND OF KOSHI RIVER, IN ARARIA DISTRICT (NORTH BIHAR), INDIA
MD. NURUL HASAN
Purnia Collge, B. N. Mandal University, Bihar, India.
S. REHAN AHMAD *
Department of Zoology, H. M. M. College for Women, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
M. RAUF ANWAR
Department of Zoology, Purnea College, Bihar, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
A study was carried out to investigate the diversity of fishes and the conservation status of Wetland, a natural wetland of Araria District, North Bihar, India. The study revealed the occurrence of 33 species of fishes belonging to 23 genera under nine (09) orders and 14 families. Cyprinidae was the dominant family with eleven (11) species followed by Channidae with four (04) species, then followed by Siluridae , Bagardae Anabantidae, Ambassidae, Mastacembelidae and Notopteridae with two (02) species each whereas Heteropneustidae, Clariidae, Gobiidae, Belonidae, Synbranchidae and Tetraodontidae were represented a single species each. The threatened status of species of this wetland included two (02) Endangered species, six (06) Vulnerable species, twenty (20) Near Threatened (NT) whereas five (05) are registered as Not Evaluated (NE) category. The maximum fish diversity was recorded in the monsoon season as compared to post-monsoon. Haphazard fishing consistently throughout the year along with broad weed pervasion could be liable for exhaustion of fish variety in Wetland of Koshi River in Araria district.
Keywords: Fish diversity, endangered species, conservation status, Wetland of Koshi River, Araria dist.