Scientists on World Sawfish Day (observed on October 17th) announced that sawfish, sighted off Indian coast less than 10 times in over a decade appears to be more threatened than tigers and elephants
Sawfish also known as carpenter sharks are a family of rays.
They are characterized by long, narrow, flattened rostrum or nose extension, lined with sharp transverse teeth resembling saw.
Sawfish are closely related to sharks and have shark-shaped bodies, hence, they are also called flat sharks
The sawfish, included in Schedule I of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 enacted to save them from exploitation, have been sighted off the Indian coast less than 10 times in over a decade and they appear to be more threatened than tigers and elephants.
A statement issued by the Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute held the sawfish may be the most endangered fish species in India.
Anecdotal evidence suggested they were once common along the Indian coast.
There are only five species of the sawfish ever identified - dwarf sawfish, knife tooth sawfish, small tooth sawfish, large tooth sawfish and green sawfish.
Sawfish are elasmobranchs, meaning their skeleton is made of cartilage.
They are closely related to sharks and have shark-shaped bodies and, hence, are also called flat sharks.
The CMFRI statement held that the sawfish family has been assessed either 'Endangered' or 'Critically Endangered' in the International Union for Conservation of Nature Global Red List, considering their threatened status, high extinction risk and observed population decline.
Protection Status: In the International Union for Conservation of Nature Global Red List, sawfish family has been assessed either 'Endangered' or 'Critically Endangered' considering their threatened status, high extinction risk and observed population decline.
