Fun Humpback Mahseer Facts For Kids
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The humpback mahseer (Tor remadevii) is a species of Indian freshwater fish that is endemic to a few rivers of South India. They are mostly found in the Cauvery River but they can also rarely be seen in the Bhavani River, the Pambar River, and the Kabini River.
These fishes are also called the 'Tiger of the Cauvery'. The average size of adult humpback mahseer is about 55-63 in (140-160 cm), and their average weight is about 132-198 lb (60-90 kg).
They are a big and heavy species of mahseer. The humpback mahseer conservation status as listed in the IUCN Red List is Critically Endangered.
These fishes are very famous game fishes in India and are consumed by locals.
Their numbers have severely declined due to rapid fishing and habitat destruction due to human activity. Some steps have been taken to ensure proper conservation of this species.
There are some other similar species of mahseer that can be found all over India, namely golden mahseers and the blue finned mahseer. They are also treated as game fish and serve food purposes locally.
If you want to read more amazing animal facts, please check out giant barb and yellow jack.
Humpback Mahseer Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a humpback mahseer?
The humpback mahseer (Tor remadevii) is a type of fish of the mahseer species endemic to the Western Ghats of southern India. They belong to the family of Cyprinidae.
What class of animal does a humpback mahseer belong to?
The humpback mahseerr (Tor remadevii) belongs to the Actinopterygii class of the Animalia kingdom.
How many humpback mahseers are there in the world?
The exact numbers of humpback mahseer fish in the world are unknown. However, recently this fish has acquired the status of a Critically Endangered species in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and their population is steadily decreasing in the world.
Their numbers are decreasing because of dynamite fishing, dams being built on the Cauvery River, and from other ways that their habitats are being destroyed. The number of mature adults is still declining rapidly and their population is very fragmented.
Where does a humpback mahseer live?
The main river that the humpback mahseer is found in is the Cauvery River in the Western Ghats of India. They are also sometimes found in the Bhavani, Pambar, and Kabini river basins in Kerala.
They can mostly be found in the states of Karnataka, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. Since they are endemic to such a small area of South India, they are very much affected by human activity and the loss of habitat due to human activities has pushed them to the brink of extinction.
What is a humpback mahseer's habitat?
The species is an Indian fish and is endemic to the Cauvery river basin and a few other smaller rivers in Kerala and the Western Ghats of southern India. These are freshwater fishes.
They seem to prefer deep stretches of fast-flowing and clear water. The adults also use the slow-flowing water for foraging, but they can also forage in fast-flowing waters. They also prefer rivers and streams that flow in upland areas.
Humpback mahseer are also called the 'Tiger of the Cauvery' because of their looks and size. They are most often found in the Cauvery River but they are seen very rarely.
Who do humpback mahseers live with?
Even though not much data is available on the living habits of the humpback mahseer, most members of the mahseer species are known to live alone. They seem to only come together in pairs for mating purposes.
How long does a humpback mahseer live?
Even though there is not a lot of information, the estimated generation length of the hump-backed mahseer is about seven years.
How do they reproduce?
Not much is known about the reproductive habits of the mahseer species. However, it is known that they are mostly solitary animals that come together for mating.
The mating season for the mahseer is usually the monsoon season but they have been observed to breed during other times of the year as well. As there are steps being taken to ensure their conservation, they are also trying to breed this fish in captivity.
What is their conservation status?
The humpback mahseer conservation status is Critically Endangered as listed in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This means that they are on the verge of extinction in their wild habitat.
Their population is also rapidly decreasing, especially the number of mature adults. The reason behind this is rapid fishing and the destruction of habitat due to various man-made reasons.
Serious steps need to be taken to save this species from going completely extinct in the wild. Some conservation actions are being taken to save this species from extinction.
Humpback Mahseer Fun Facts
What do humpback mahseers look like?
The humpback mahseer is a pretty big species of mahseer found mainly in the River Cauvery of South India. They are about 55-63 in (140-160 cm) long and weigh about 132-198 lb (60-90 kg).
You can identify them by the large silver scales all over their bodies. They might have a darker orange tint to them, and they are sometimes called orange-finned mahseer. Their backs are brownish and their abdomens are paler in comparison.
Their fins also have a darker tint at the end. Even though they do not have stripes, they are called the 'Tiger of the Cauvery' because of their massive size.
We've been unable to source an image of humpback mahseer and have used an image of koi carp instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of humpback mahseer, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.
How cute are they?
The hump-backed mahseer cannot really be considered a cute fish. They are big and kind of intimidating to look at. However, to the people that love fishes, this species is truly a sight to behold. They are also called 'The Tiger of the Cauvery', which is not exactly a cute nickname but actually a pretty scary one.
How do they communicate?
It is not known how this mahseer species communicates with each other. However, they are known to use the flow and the current of rivers to attack prey. They are pretty fast swimmers and good predators too.
How big is a humpback mahseer?
The average length of an adult humpback mahseer is about 55-63 in (140-160 cm). They are the largest species of freshwater fish found in India.
They are significantly smaller than the largest freshwater fish in the world, the beluga sturgeon which are about 24 ft (7 m) long. On average, humpback mahseer fish are bigger than the pallid sturgeon which has an average length of about 30-60 in (76.2-152.4 cm).
How fast can a humpback mahseer swim?
The exact speed of the hump-backed mahseer is unknown. However, these fishes are known to swim pretty fast in rivers. The fast-flowing rivers that they usually inhabit also help with their speed a lot.
How much does a humpback mahseer weigh?
The average weight of an adult hump-backed mahseer is about 132-198 lb (60-90 kg). Even though they are pretty heavy, they are significantly lighter than another species of gigantic sturgeon called the white sturgeon that weighs about 992-1503 lb (450-682 kg).
What are their male and female names of the species?
Like every other species of fish, the males and females of the hump-back mahseer species also do not have any specific names. They are simply called a male hump-back mahseer and a female Hump-backed Mahseer.
What would you call a baby humpback mahseer?
Like every other fish species, the young hump-backed mahseer is also called fry. We can also call them young or juvenile hump-backed mahseer.
What do they eat?
The hump-backed mahseer is an omnivorous species and seems to have a varied diet. They eat smaller fish, frogs, mollusks, crustaceans, and even various fruits and algae. Local people have said that these fish eat the occasional seasonal fruits such as jamuns or mangoes that fall into the river during the season.
Are they dangerous?
Humpback mahseer fish are not technically dangerous to humans. We pose a much greater and graver threat to them than they do to us. However, they are big fish that may accidentally hurt humans when they are trying to catch them. Otherwise, they are a pretty peaceful fish species that love living solitary lives in the river.
Would they make a good pet?
The humpback mahseer fish, found in Tamil Nadu and other cities of India, is a pretty large species of fish. They are mostly used locally for eating purposes.
Unlike the koi fish who are a pretty small species of fish and are kept as pets, the humpback mahseer cannot be kept as pets. It is also bad for their conservation.
The reason for their rapid decline in population is mostly due to fishing. They should not be kept as pets as that might further hurt their ecosystem and lessen their numbers in the wild.
Did you know...
The humpback mahseer only got their scientific name Tor remadevii in 2018. Before extensive research was done on them, this fish species was thought to be the same as a Himalayan mahseer fish species called the golden mahseer, whose scientific name is Tor putitora. The previous scientific name of the species was Hypselobarbus mussullah.
Naming the humpback mahseer
The exact reason behind the naming of the humpback mahseer is not known other than the fact that they have a hump shape on their back. They are also called orange-finned mahseer because of the dark orange tint they have on their fins.
However, up until 2018, they were confused with the golden mahseer found in the Himalayan rivers and the species did not have a scientific name of its own.
In 2018, they finally got their scientific name Tor remadevii and were mentioned in the IUCN Red List. These fishes are also called the 'Tiger of the Cauvery'.
Is the humpback mahseer at risk of extinction?
Yes, unfortunately, this majestic fish and resident of Cauvery, humpback mahseer fish seem to be on the verge of extinction. They are already a Critically Endangered species in the wild according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
This is because of reckless fishing as this species is a game fish in India and is used locally for food purposes.
Their population has also decreased because of habitat loss due to human actions like building dams in rivers and dynamite fishing.
Fortunately, due to their IUCN status, some actions are being taken to ensure the conservation of the species. However, more things need to be done in the lines of captive breeding to ensure the survival of this species.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these king salmon facts and witch flounder facts for kids.
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable humpback mahseer coloring pages.
Main image by Charles J. Sharp
Second image by Acabashi
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