These images illustrate some of the largest species of freshwater catfish in the world. The first image shows the Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas) of Asia. The second and third images are of the wels catfish (Silurus glanis), which is found in Europe. Both species of catfish grow exceptionally large. The Mekong giant catfish, in the first image, weighed 646 pounds. The first wels catfish tipped the scales at about 187 pounds, and the second giant weighed 226 pounds.
The Mekong giant catfish is critically endangered, but the wels catfish isn’t considered endangered or threatened. The wels catfish has been blamed for attacking animals as large as swans, and there are recorded attacks on humans as well. Furthermore, according to Animal Planet, “these fish have been caught in Russia with human remains in their stomachs, but most experts suspect the victims were already drowned before being swallowed.”
The goonch (Bagarius sp.), which is shown in the fourth image, is another species of giant freshwater catfish. It has been blamed for capturing and consuming humans. Jeremy Wade, of “River Monsters,” is pictured with a 161-pound goonch catfish that he caught, and it “measured 5 feet, 7 inches from head to tail with a 41-inch girth and 44-inch ‘wingspan.’” More via Animal Planet:
The goonch catfish, much like its other catfish relatives, can grow to an enormous size and weight. But unlike others, this river monster makes its home in the Great Kali River running between India and Nepal, a stretch of water that is often used to dispose of funeral pyres after Hindu funeral rites. Theory contends that the goonch has long scavenged the half-burned human corpses from these funeral pyres. This diet may have helped the goonch — or at least a few members of the species — grow to unusually huge proportions. It may also have led the goonch to develop a taste for human flesh, which may now be fueling frightening attacks on live humans.
. . .
The goonch stands accused of a number of human attacks, including the death of an 18-year-old Nepali in 2008, who was dragged down into the river by what witnesses described as an “elongated pig.” Two similar attacks were reported in 1988.
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“Kali River running between India and Nepal, a stretch of water that is often used to dispose of funeral pyres after Hindu funeral rites. Theory contends that the goonch has long scavenged the half-burned human corpses from these funeral pyres.” … [and may have developed] “a taste for human flesh.” As with other wild animals, Lions, Tigers etc.. Experts/Gov the “powers that be” state (when a human is attacked) that the animal will develop a “taste for human flesh”.. Once the establish the fact and clearly identify the animal in question; they sentence that wild animal Lion, Tiger, Wolf etc – to death. This is true across the board, with all wild animals that have attacked a human and either consumed or tasted the flesh (Dogs included).
I suggest then that the Catfish in question be provided the same. That a secure determination has to be made first. Gov/doctors (?) could perform an ultrasound on the catfish’s abdomen to establish factually that there are human remains within.
An animal or fish in the wild is feeding well at a certain location, it returns there regularly. So there should be no problem with losing the Catfish – its likely not leaving the waters. And an ultrasound could be given to its’ abdomen to identify the human within. If the test proves positive, then that catfish could be sentenced, just like its’ mammal cousins. What I would hate to see, is a community going wild and annihilating the species out of in Kali river completely.
As well, there is an amount of responsibility to be taken up by the people for having created this behavior with their human water burials. Bottom line is that they trained the catfish to eat the people/human flesh. It’s unfortunate, its sad, they never would have done so had they known, but the sad fact is that it’s True. Should the community, culture, religion be somehow held accountable to this?
Too easily are non-human species to be cleansed from our Earth. Too many agendas cleanse and have cleansed Humans themselves from the planet… how easy then a catfish?
Unless someone speaks up. Or seconds another’s words, Stands up or supports some, an, any action. And do it again. And again. and again… the song remains the same.
On the other hand: There should be a program set up perhaps by some conservation organization who’s mission fits, to establish a feeding program for the Catfish in the River. The above assumes the article accusations are true, but that’s not necessarily the case.
Something I do know, is that when a wild animal begins eating outside its’ normal diet, or outside its normal feeding grounds or waters – there is a problem with its’ food supply. I’d look at this possibility first to see if there has been a major change in the Kali river? Has there been a commercial fishing initiative begun in the area? A poison leaching into the river for some years killing the smaller fish? A new town?? Something has happened. Something that has removed these Catfishes regular food supply.
If forced to hunger, then we are forced to address it. So are they. They are perhaps looking for other sources. All these years… how many years has this species been in the river? And no attacks until now? I’d say there’s a good _possibility_ their diet has been negatively impacted by some human activity. I might even bet on it.
What bothers me about this argument is that it is a part of the Hindu religion to dump the bodies into the Kali. Could this be a cause of the fish developing a “tast for human flesh”? Absolutely. But just because that is an affect of the bodies being put into the river does not mean that it should be stopped.
It’s a natural part of life for Hindu people in India. They already have to live with the consequences of these actions; why stop them? It’s part of their entire belief system, so to say that they should stop doing it and be held accountable for a fish that is already eating members of their collective people is a bit off, and it is quite rude.
This man was camping alone and became lost. After three days without food he finally seized, killed, and ate an American Bald Eagle. Almost immediately, the park ranger found the man and arrested him for killing an endangered species. At trial the man pleaded, “Your honor – I was lost, alone, starving and about to die. I didn’t want to eat an endangered species, but MY survival depended upon it.” “I understand,” said the judge, “Not guilty!” After the trial the judge asked the man, “By the way, how did the eagles taste?” “Delicious,” replied the man, “sort of like a cross between whooping crane and spotted owl.”
Please make conservation for this species. There are very rare they swim to north of Mekong River for breeding the peole around that are hunting them every year. The population trndency is low. Please think they are the living life same as us.
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wow..very big fish
So big!
Too bad they are endangered, what could be the causes for their decline? overfishing of juveniles?, reduction of spawning areas and natural habitat?
hope they fare better in the future
that sure is agigantic fish yal . that fish is to big can’t be ture
Hey, this is scary. Can the aythorities in India do something to confirm whetter thet really feeding on human being?
Researchers are working to determine if the catfish are feeding on humans, but the locals seem convinced.
There are 3 giant freshwater catfish discussed here, and 1 is blamed for attacks on people, and 1 species, the Mekong giant catfish (Pangasianodon gigas, is critically endangered because of development activities, pollution, overfishing, upstream damming, and water quality issues–or the lack of environmental regulation.
On the Net: Giant Catfish Critically Endangered, Group Says: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/11/1118_031118_giantcatfish.html
dang that fish is big
this is nuts that catfish is so big im so hi so it looks even bigger! GREAT CATCH FELLAS!
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there is a fricken bigger 1
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Greetings,
My name is Lusine Khachatryan. I work for Hoff Productions, a TV Production co. in the US and I am interested in reproduction and licensing of one of your stories to be used in a TV Documentary. I wonder if this is something you can help me with. Can you let me know whether it is okay to use the article?
Here is the story I’d like to use: REEL BIG FISH: Giant catfish in India turn to preying on humans
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Many thanks,
Lusine
thats a big fish but not the killer one the cafish preying on humans is a goonch catfish it sucks in and pulls its pray in to its mouth, it lives in the deep holes and can get you from a fare onces it suck u in or your leg in to it’s mouth it has you And your good as dead 3 people in India have died one was a grown man one 19 one 10, they just were sucked under water and the sacrry part is that one of the victoms was in like in knee deep water to. but this fish has teeth that are shaped like a sharks they have preditor teeth
And there are no crocodiles in India, so it has to be a catfish. Or an elongated pig. They can be pretty dangerous too.
It is a shame that we often see frozen large river fish imported to Europe for consumption. I do like eating fish chops though; however, I wish I had not been introduced to this shameful eating habit when I was young. At least I won’t be able to eat this fish if the ban is imposed on selling this fish for consumption in Europe, the wholesale slaughter of these wonderful ancient fish may be prevented. Still then, people in the East depend on this fish for nutrition. What about farming them in fresh water lakes. It is quite easy to do. These cat fish have lungs and are very tough survivors. They could have been extinct many years ago because of overpopulation and overfishing in Asia for a century. Well, regarding the scary sensationalisation of their supposed attacks on people, we do not walk across busy motor highways; so we should respect the habitats and migration routes of magnificent animals including this fish and even elephants where people get hurt because we build human settlements on elephant highways and in their shrinking habitats. It is dangerous to walk across let alone squat permanently on any form of highways human or non-human. We will get crushed!
Have been reading and watching stuff on the tube about giant catfish. We should probably totally try to raise these guys for food. Apparently they increase in size astronomically and if fed the right stuff will make very good eating! As far as maneaters in India, that dose’nt surprise me at all. After all India has something like 1.2 billion people. The average male is probably only around 120 pounds and a giant catfish would probably be able to eat at least one Indian male a week and still be a bit hungry. If we ship these fish into America we could feed them our food waste by product and eventually harvest them for cat food or dog food or even human consumption…
u can get biger catfish than eny of these picstur whot have been sown and thay pray on peopel and vey sly
Those are huge!!! the biggest i’ve ever seen is less than a meter long!
but still there would be much bigger catfish than those!
some might even reach the 300kg mark!
P.S.
Happy Waitangi Day to all you kiwis out there!
this fish is awesome!
In Soviet Russia Fish Eat You!!!
Nice Fish! Thanks for the pictures, been looking for a picture of a killer catfish since I saw that dangerous fish show on like the discovery channerl! Using it for a school project (the teacher doesn’t believe in killer catfish)
What’s with the quality of (most )comments on this article? Seriously- it’s better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.
verrrrrrrrrrry bbbbbbbbbbbiggggggggggg fffffffffffffiiiiiiiissssssssshhhhhhhhhhh
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I was thinking about the Blue Catfish (Ictalurus furcatus) that inhabits the waters of the Eastern United States. Nevertheless, there are other large freshwater fish species that are fascinating to look at.
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That catfish is huge
this kind of fishes found only in kali river or also in karnali river?
The first giant fish may be a fake. The shadow on the left foot of the man in the background does not match my expectations and the shadow under the fish seems harder than the shadows on the men. I would love to think it is real??
Fantastic show on this super large fish Jeremy Wade ! Easily my very fave show that you have ever done. Thank you for going there and catching such a large one. I heard you want to return because you believe that there are larger ones there. I believe there are, due to the practice of the people there actually “feeding the animals (fish or what ever may be there) their relatives half cremated bodies.” If they continue this practice the fish, say a goonch could and likely is eating this food source and could grow very very large. I am looking forward to seeing the show that comes from you returning there to catch an even larger one. As for the people that live around there they need to stay out of the river!!!!!!!!! And Jeremy this means you to!!!
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These fishes are really awesome but i fear that one day it might got extinct due to our human activites esp. mekong catfish. Hope it ll keep existing so our next generation could see it.