For over 80 years, the Chel snakehead (Channa amphibeus) was presumed extinct. First identified in 1840 within India’s Chel River system, this remarkable fish had not been spotted in decades—until recently.

A dedicated team of researchers, including wildlife specialists Jayasimhan Praveenraj and Tejas Thackeray from the Thackeray Wildlife Foundation, has successfully found this rare fish in the Himalayan region of India. Their discovery, reported by Mid-day, was published in the journal Zootaxa earlier this year, confirming that the species is very much alive.

The Chel snakehead is known for its stunning appearance, featuring iridescent green scales adorned with distinct yellow bars. Among the largest and most colorful in its family, it also boasts vibrant chrome-yellow to orange stripes and a bright neon patch beneath its eye. Notably, it has the highest count of lateral-line scales among all snakeheads in the Gachua group, according to the publication.

This exciting rediscovery underscores the vital need for ongoing exploration. Despite extensive searches over many years, the Chel snakehead had eluded detection, leading some experts to believe it had vanished forever. Its survival serves as a testament to the resilience of biodiversity and instills hope that other species once deemed lost may still exist and await rediscovery.

The Chel snakehead is not the first “extinct” species to make a comeback. In 2020, the giant salmon carp, native to Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, was rediscovered. Similarly, in 2023, researchers obtained the first-ever live images of Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna, a spiny mammal that had not been documented for more than 60 years.

These revelations highlight the tenacity of nature, as illustrated by the Chel snakehead surviving without human assistance. However, its rediscovery also reminds us that many species are not as fortunate. The urgent need to protect fragile ecosystems is becoming increasingly critical, especially as habitat destruction and climate change accelerate the loss of biodiversity.

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“The resolution of this long-standing mystery in Indian ichthyology confirms the significance of ongoing exploration and highlights the endurance of biodiversity, even within species once believed to be lost,” said Thackeray in a statement.

Wildlife biologist Forrest Galante (@forrest.galante) expressed his excitement on social media, exclaiming, “LFG!! Extinct species back, baby!!” in an Instagram post. His enthusiasm reflects the joy shared by researchers dedicated to discovering the Chel snakehead.

This underscores the critical importance of conservation. Who knows how many undiscovered species are waiting to be revealed? One thing is clear: the natural world is full of mysteries, and it’s essential for humans to safeguard their future.

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