Destruction of moderately dense mangrove cover has posed a major threat for survival of the blue-spotted mudskipper in Krishna district.
The population of the mudskipper has been dwindling at an alarming rate since the past decade, reportedly due to destruction of the mangrove cover that is fairly out of the reserve forest area and the Krishna Wildlife Sanctuary. The mudskipper species and amphibious fish are inhabitant of the mangrove forest, inter-tidal areas and mud-flats.
In local parlance, it is known as ‘Raama’. The fishermen in the Sorlagondi Reserve Forest and other mangrove patches in Krishna district told The Hindu that they had observed a sharp decline in the population of the mudskippers compared to the past decade. Usually, the mudskipper lifespan is five years.
“Arguably, destruction of the mangrove forest in the name of brackish water aquaculture becomes the prime threat for mudskippers. Release of the irrigation water comprising pesticides into the mangrove forest could be considered as the second immediate threat for mudskippers,” said Machilipatnam-based Rama Subrahmanyam, a project coordinator of the M.S. Swaminatham Research Foundation and working on restoration of the mangrove forests in Krishna district.
Some of the mudskippers have blue marks on the skin and some of them have ventured out from the brackish water in group to stay in the mud.
Mr. Subrahmanyam has added that the fishermen have confirmed the dwindling population of the mudskippers in the mangrove forest along the coastline of Krishna and East Godavari district, particularly on the Kakinada coast.
