'Snakehead' Fish Found in Wisconsin River
JANESVILLE, Wis. (Sept. 24) - A carnivorous alien fish known for its voracious
appetite and ability to wriggle short distances on land has been found in
southern Wisconsin's Rock River.
APA Snakehead fish caught in Maryland
The discovery of the 2-foot-long giant snakehead by the state Department of
Natural Resources marks the first time the species, a native of Asia, has been
found in Wisconsin waters, where officials said it may not survive the winter
cold.
"This was a real wake-up call," said Mike Staggs, director of fisheries at the
DNR.
The giant snakehead can grow to more than three feet in length, and fish
managers say that with no natural predator, it could change the local fish
population and introduce new diseases.
A year ago, wildlife officials in Maryland killed six adult and more than 1,000
juvenile northern snakehead, a close relative to the giant snakehead, found in
a pond.
The DNR found the giant snakehead during a routine fish survey of the Rock
River Sept. 4.
The DNR said an employee misidentified the fish as a native bowfin. It was
photographed and released before the DNR later concluded it was a snakehead.
Two crews were sent back to the river last Thursday and three more crews went
back Tuesday to look for evidence of snakeheads but found none, Staggs said.
Staggs said the results indicate the fish does not appear to be widespread in
the river, and the individual snakehead likely was released by a hobbyist after
outgrowing an aquarium.
Releasing aquarium fish into the wild in Wisconsin is illegal.
It's unlikely the giant snakehead could survive the cold water of a Wisconsin
winter, Staggs said.


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