For a change, thousands of snake-like creatures, mostly dead and some alive, have thrown a surprise to the people visiting the banks of the Krishna downstream Prakasam barrage near here.
Breeding journey
They are freshwater eels, which are on their breeding journey, and have been washed away from Maharashtra and Karnataka following floods, according to officials.
Following incessant rains, the upstream States such as Maharashtra and Karnataka recently released the flood waters, which found their way to the Srisailam dam, Nagarjuna Sagar dam, Pulichintala project, and finally Prakasam barrage.
While the riverbed is carpeted by the dead eels, a few have managed to survive in the numerous water pits downstream.
“The freshwater eels belong to the Anguillidae family,” says M.A. Yakub Basha, Additional Director, Fisheries, Krishna district.
“They migrate from the freshwater areas to the sea for breeding. The larvae grow in the saline water and return to the freshwater areas later,” Mr. Yakub Basha says. “Many eels might have escaped when the flood gates were opened and proceeded to the sea,” he says.
No escape route
“Now that the barrage gates are closed and there is no flow of water, the remaining ones can’t reach the sea, and hence have to survive in whatever little water that is available or perish,” says Mr. Yakub Basha.
Local people and fishermen seem to perceive eels to be not harmful. In fact, eels, which are very slippery, are considered top predators in water.
“They bite anything that irritates or disturbs them,” say experts. This poses a danger to the hundreds of visitors. However, there has been no such incident reported so far, say locals.
Foul smell emanating from the carcass is causing lot of discomfort to those visiting the ghats.
“I had seen such snakes (eels) in the stream in 2009 when there was a flood in the Krishna. They come along with the flood waters. Most of them are dead. The live ones are also in huge numbers, but no one is interested in eating them. Crows and dogs are trying to consume the dead eels,” says Balaraju, a fisherman.
