The lower belt of the Teesta and the Rangeet rivers harbours a popular game fish, the Golden Mahseer, also known as the Himalayan Mahseer or Tor putitora.
Immortalised in the stories of Jim Corbett and Rudyard Kipling, the Golden Mahseer is believed to be a “fierce fighter” and a “prize catch” for anglers.
Jim Corbett wrote in Man-Eaters of Kumaon about how he was pulled into the river as the Mahseer “suddenly galvanised into life, and with a mighty splash dashed upstream”.
There are 16 varieties of Mahseer known to inhabit the Indian river waters ,of which two are found in the Teesta and Rangeet rivers – the Himalayan Golden Mahseer and the Copper Mahseer. However, not many are aware that the Golden Mahseer is an endangered species that needs to be protected and not caught.
Immortalised in the stories of Jim Corbett and Rudyard Kipling, the endangered Golden Mahseer is believed to be a “fierce fighter” and a “prize catch” for anglers Photo courtesy: Chandan Gupta
“In recent years, the fish population has been dwindling even further in this area due to illegal and indiscriminate fishing, use of generators (to electrocute the fish) and poison, especially in the spawning season,” said Kolkata-based Chandan Gupta, who is leading the Mahseer Conservation Project for Glenburn Tea Estate in Darjeeling.
‘An upstream task’
The Mahseer Conservation Project was started by the late Rati Puri and the famous conservationist Dr AJT Johnsingh. "My father-in-law, Sudhir Prakash, invited them to Glenburn to help us save the Golden Mahseer in our rivers and we have been slowly working on awareness and better fishing practices," said Husna-Tara Prakash of the Prakash family that owns the tea estate.
The snow-fed Himalayan rivers Rangeet and its tributary Rundung Khola flow through the 1,000 acres of private forest that are part of the 1859-established Glenburn Tea Estate. The confluence of the two rivers, also within the property, is believed to be a spawning ground of the trophy fish.
As part of the Project, an effort is being made to spread awareness. “It is an upstream task to educate the locals about the dangers of fishing in the breeding season and river pollution, but we are trying to hold sessions and have appointed river volunteers,” said Gupta.
Team members of the Mahseer Conservation Project by Glenburn Tea Estate walk along the banks of river Rangeet on May 8, 2022 Karo Christine Kumar
On May 8, a team from Glenburn Tea Estate headed to the Rangeet river bank, from the Glenburn log cabin up to the dam. Officers from Darjeeling Territorial and Wildlife Division were also present. They released fish caught in nets.
“This is a good initiative by Glenburn and we are here to show our support,” said officials of Darjeeling Territorial and Wildlife Division.
Found in rapid streams with rocky bottoms, the Golden Mahseer is known to weigh up to 40kg, though fish of that size are hard to come by in the Teesta.
Fish caught in nets by illegal and indiscriminate fishing are freed Karo Christine Kumar
“It is well-known that the Red Panda, native to eastern Himalayas, is an endangered species. But people need to be aware about the endangered status of the Golden Mahseer too. Many locals catch fish without realising the harm they are doing,” said Sabin Mukhia, head chef at Glenburn Tea Estate, and a passionate conservationist. Sabin’s grandfather was the head gardener of the tea estate in the Sixties.
The Mahseer Conservation Project is a small step by a private tea estate, but like they say, little drops of water make a mighty ocean (or river, in this case).