Vol. 12, Special Issue 11 (2023)

Author(s):
Shivaji Kanoujiya, Ashish Sahu, Rohit Kumar Gautam and Sagar Satkar Gorakh

Abstract:
Freshwater ecosystems and their biodiversity are one of the most endangered and inadequately protected aquatic resources worldwide with nearly one in three freshwater species facing a high risk of extinction. First time, we documented and described the ichthyofaunal diversity of Kuwano River, Uttar Pradesh, including a systematic updated checklist, vernacular names and the current status of IUCN status. Altogether 56 finfish species representing 7 orders, 22 families and 40 genera were recorded. Among these, 48 species belonged to the Least Concern (LC), two species belonged to the Near Threatened (NT) and Not Evaluated categories of the IUCN Red List. Wallago attu, Bagarius bagarius and Cyprinus carpio were listed in the vulnerable (VU) while Clarius magur comes under the Endangered (EN) category of the IUCN Red List, 2023. Presently, this river and its fauna are under severe ecological degradation due to several anthropogenic issues. Major threats in the study area are unmanaged and unregulated fishing, illegal fishing approaches, growth and recruitment overfishing, siltation, aquatic pollution, exotic species and infestation of invasive alien plants such as water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) etc. There is no documentary record available of the present study area till the date regarding its diversity. Thus, an urgent need exists for taking up research on the priority fish fauna and their habitat characterization. Restoration measures have been proposed based on an ecosystem-scale approach to biodiversity conservation. Moreover, there is a need to maintain this valuable river to be environmentally friendly for the aquatic fauna and flora to thrive. This result is expected to contribute skeletal information for future studies in this ecosystem.