Dibrugarh: The Dibrugarh Forest Department on Thursday carried out an operation and successfully seized at least 500 Channa Barca fish locally known as Cheng garka or garka cheng at Dibrugarh Airport.
These rare species of fish are valued at Rs. 4.5 crore in the international market.
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Taking to X (formerly Twitter) Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, “In a successful anti-smuggling operation carried out by @assamforest- 500 Channa Barca fishes have been seized at Dibrugarh Airport. These rare species of fish are valued at Rs. 4.5 crore in the international market & is one of the biggest exotic fish seizures in recent times.”
Channa Barca is a rare species of snakehead. It is endemic to upper the Brahmaputra river basin in northeastern India and Bangladesh. In 2014 it was assessed as critically endangered in Bangladesh by the IUCN.
It often inhabits a vertical tunnel that typically is around one metre (3.3 ft) long and goes down to the water table.
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It mostly inhabits wetlands, often near the margins, but can also be seen in riverine habitats.
It can withstand large variations in water temperature and oxygen levels as its habitat experiences large seasonal changes in flood level.
Meanwhile, the Dibrugarh Forest Department has detained two persons in connection with the smuggling of the rare species of fish.
“The rare species of fish has been exported to Kolkata via flight. During the checking, the rare Channa Barca fish was seized at the Dibrugarh Airport. We have detained two persons in connection with the smuggling. We have started questioning the two persons,” said a forest official.
He said, “We have seized some fish from Dibrugarh Airport on Thursday. We have sent the fish for analysis at the Laboratory.”
Sources said smuggling of these fish has been going on for its high demand in the market.
“The wildlife smugglers are targeting the aquatic animals due to their high demand in the international market. They caught these rare species from the water body or river and secretly exported to other states and countries,” said a source.