Leonardo DiCaprio gets intrigued by unique Kerala fish, shares details on Instagram
Leonardo DiCaprio, known for his passion for the environment, has shared a report about the Pathala Eel Loach. The report appeared on the Re:wild portal, an organisation dedicated to protecting and restoring biodiversity. The Hollywood actor's endorsement has brought widespread attention to this fascinating new addition to the world of aquatic life.
The discovery was made by Abraham A, a resident of Alappuzha district in Kerala, who spotted the tiny snake-like, pink-coloured fish with a length of about three centimetres in the well of his house back in October 2020. Even though the discovery was made three years back, it has come to the attention of many people, primarily because of The Revenant actor and dedicated environmental activist. Researchers from the Kerala University of Fisheries and Ocean Studies (KUFOS) confirmed that the fish belongs to a freshwater species.
They named it Pathala Eel Loach (Pangio Pathala) after the Sanskrit word 'Pathala', meaning 'below the feet', as the species is classified as a subterranean fish. “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," the Oscar-winning actor wrote on Instagram. “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.
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