Projects
Project Mahseer
Mahseer Trust is delighted to be partnering with the new conservation initiative, Shoal, which has been set up to protect and conserve some of the world's most threatened freshwater fish species. Shoal is founded on the opportunity to work together in collaboration and is partnering with a wide range of conservation organisations.
'Project Mahseer' is the flagship collaborative initiative developed through Shoal, and Mahseer Trust is delighted to be the lead partner in undertaking this work. The key focus of Project Mahseer is to conserve the enigmatic and highly threatened mighty mahseers of the family Cyprinidae. In doing so, the project will contribute towards the protection and sustainable management of some of Asia’s most iconic river systems.
The initial priority for Project Mahseer is the conservation and recovery of the hump-backed mahseer, a species endemic to the Cauvery river basin in southern India. Its population has plummeted since the turn of the century and it is now listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Project Mahseer aims to deliver the necessary conservation actions to save this remarkable species and its habitat for future generations.
To learn more about Project Mahseer and how to get involved, visit the Shoal website at the link below
Kaveri Mission
An historic two-day meeting, held in January 2017 and co-hosted by Tata Power and Mahseer Trust in the beautiful surroundings of Lonavala, India, has brought together a unique coalition to enact a wide-ranging strategy with the aim of conserving the endangered hump-backed mahseer from extinction.
#kaverimission coordinates an interstate effort, including Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, to implement a number of micro projects to address a broad range of issues that affect the health of the Cauvery River catchment and the rapidly declining population status of this iconic fish, which is endemic to the Cauvery and found nowhere else in the world.
Using a motto of ‘Respect the Goddess’, Mahseer Trust Outreach Officer, Steve Lockett said, “We recognise that without support through many agencies, and, crucially, those who interact and use the river and its tributaries on a daily basis, we cannot save this impressive fish, which is now on the brink of extinction.”
Working in collaboration with local communities and the wider population, Kaveri Mission involves a combination of research, conservation and outreach activities throughout the Cauvery catchment.
