Wild Facts

Photograph by Henry Sullivan Thomas (Wikimedia)

So it is Christmas Eve and I thought about creating a Christmas themed Wild Fact for today but I just couldn’t think of any Christmas animals that I haven’t already discussed.  Therefore, I decided to write about the Goonch Catfish which was recommended to me by one of our readers.  I would like to thank this person very much for the suggestion.  Now I know the Goonch Catfish is not even close to being a Christmas animal but I can promise you that it will be an interesting Wild Fact.

You may have heard of the Goonch Catfish since they have been getting a lot of press in recent years.  Unfortunately it is negative press since there have been reports of them attacking humans.  We will discuss this side of the catfish a little later.  First let’s find out a little more of these peculiar fish.  Like other catfish this particular one is able to get quite large.  Up to 2 m (6′) in length and can weigh up to 150 lbs.  You better put on the thick fishing line if you ever plan on catching one of these guys.

This giant fish can be found in the rivers of south and southeast Asia.  The controversy surrounding these fish stem from their interactions with humans  along the Kali River, which runs between Nepal and India.  This stretch of river has been used to dispose of funeral pyres after the Hindu funeral rituals.  It is believed that the Goonch Catfish has been feeding on these corpses which has allowed them to grow to substantial sizes.  As well,  it may very well have given them the taste for human flesh.

As you would guess this has sparked fear into the residents in that area.  There have been several reports of a Goonch Catfish attacking and killing humans over the years.  The most recent attack was in 2008 when an 18 year old boy was actually dragged down into the river.  The witnesses identified the creature as an elongated pig.  I highly doubt it was a pig so most people figured it was one of these large Goonch Catfish.  Other reported attacks have occurred as far back as 1988.  The moral of this story is not to give giant fish the taste of human flesh and to be careful swimming in the Kali River.

Okay, I know this was definitely not a cuddly and warming Wild Fact for Christmas Eve but you have to admit, these fish are pretty interesting.  Before you go, I recommend checking out the following video to see just how big these fish can get.  The link is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LudndCm70lY.

I hope all of you enjoy your Christmas and have the opportunity to spend time with your families.