Leonardo DiCaprio shares photo of groundwater fish ‘Pathala Eel Loach’ captured by Malayali

Kochi: Chengannur native Abraham was showering at the peace of his home, when he stumbled upon a slimy worm-like creature. Out of fascination, this middle-aged man took it in a jar, filled it with some water and kept it safe, ahead of informing the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS). 

The next day, a team of researchers from the university visited his house and what followed was the discovery of a new subterranean eel loach, Pangio Pathala or Pathala Eel Loach. The discovery was soon published in Zootaxa, a New York-based taxonomy journal. 

Although the discovery was made in October 2020, many came to know about it only recently, all thanks to Oscar-winning actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who is also an environmental activist. 

Taking to his official Instagram page, DiCaprio shared a picture of Pathala Eel Loach, captured by Keralite CP Arjun, and wrote, “The wild is all around us and sometimes all it takes to discover a new species is going about a normal day. This was the case for Mr. Abraham, a local stage director living in Kerala State, India, who discovered a new species of fish while taking a shower.”

“Hidden from light and isolated beneath the soil’s surface in the narrow aquifers of the southern Indian state of Kerala, live sightless subterranean freshwater fish like the new Pathala Eel Loach. Despite this fortuitous discovery, accessing these fishes and unlocking their secrets is no easy task,” he added. 

As the post garnered wide attention on social media, a nearly three-year-old discovery was brought to the limelight yet again. DiCaprio got to know about the eel after its discovery was published in the magazine of ‘Re:wild’, an international organisation founded by a group of renowned conservation scientists together with the actor. 

The scientific world doesn't know much about ground water fishes even now. Unlike other fishes, the majority of these may not have fins or eyes. Common people’s cooperation is necessary for their studies as they can be spotted only on well water.

“The state government has plans to study more about ground water fishes in Kerala. KUFOS has carried out awareness campaigns at places where such fishes are likely to be found including Chengannur, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Thiruvalla and Changanassery,” said Dr Rajeev Raghavan, assistant professor, KUFOS.