One of the 'World's Rarest' Fish, Thought to Be Extinct, Rediscovered After 85 Years

Mar. 15, 2025

Chel snakehead.Photo:mapress

mapress

A rare fish species thought to be extinct for over 80 years was rediscovered in India.

The journalZootaxaannounced on Friday, Jan. 31, that a Chel snakehead, also known as Channa amphibious, was rediscovered after it was presumed to be extinct.

The freshwater species was not seen for over eight decades after the last recorded specimens were collected between 1918 and 1933 in the Himalayan region of India. But in 2024, three specimens were collected on the banks of the Chel River in the town of Kalimpong in West Bengal.

The search for the large fish continued throughout the past several decades, per ABC News. Once the researchers learned of their existence, it took months to locate the fish and confirm the species was not extinct.

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Portrait view of lovers point where the river coming from left is Rangeet and meeting Teesta which is coming straight down.Getty

Getty

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The foundation noted that the recent discovery of “this long-standing mystery in Indian ichthyology reinforces the importance of continued exploration" and “highlights the persistence of biodiversity, even in species once thought lost to time.”

source: people.com