Habitat suitability mapping of chocolate mahseer, Neolissochilus hexagonolepis (McClelland, 1839) in the Teesta River basin, Indian Himalayan region for conservation

• Published in: Spatial information research (Online) Vol. 33; no. 3; p. 23
• Main Authors: Kumar, Vijay, Kantharajan, Ganesan, Tyagi, Lalit Kumar, Singh, Achal, Chandran, Rejani, Pathak, A. K., Bisht, Amit Singh, Chowdhury, L. Mog, Singh, Rajeev K., Sarkar, Uttam Kumar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Nature Singapore 01.06.2025; 대한공간정보학회
• Subjects: Database Management; Earth and Environmental Science; Geographical Information Systems/Cartography; Geography; Original Article; Remote Sensing/Photogrammetry; 공학일반; Habitat mapping; Flagship fish; Teesta River; Weighted overlay; Habitat suitability
• ISSN: 2366-3286; 2366-3294
• DOI: 10.1007/s41324-025-00621-4

The aquatic habitats face unprecedented threats from natural and anthropogenic stressors, impacting fish survival and dispersal. Spatial prioritisation of suitable habitats is a key component of fish conservation and management. This study utilizes geospatial tools to assess and map suitable habitats for the flagship and economically important species, Neolissochilus hexagonolepis , in the Teesta River basin, India. The spatial data on ecological and habitat requirements including topography, hydrological, and physio-chemical status datasets were developed and analysed using the Geographic Information System (GIS). The instream habitats of the basin were classified as moderately suitable (11.65 km 2 ; 81%) > highly suitable (2.59 km 2 ; 18%) > least suitable (0.14 km 2 ; 1%) for chocolate mahseer. The highly suitable zones were primarily located in the tributaries (Rangit; Rangpo Chu) and confluences, where microhabitats with suitable substrate and optimal water quality serve as ‘refugia’. Field-validated highly suitable habitats, particularly in lower basin tributaries, can assist resource managers and policymakers in devising in situ conservation strategies for chocolate mahseer. Additionally, this study can serve as a model for developing species-specific spatial conservation planning, contributing to the holistic development of fisheries resources in India and beyond.