CR

Garra arunachalami

Declining

Overview

Garra arunachalami is a species of fish that was described by J.A. Johnson and Soranam (2001). It is included in the genus Garra and the carp family. The IUCN categorizes the species as critically endangered. No subspecies are listed in the Catalogue of Life. It is sometimes placed in the genus Horalabiosa.

Garra arunachalami faces severe threats from hydroelectric dam construction and river modification projects in the Brahmaputra basin, which fragment its habitat and alter critical water flow patterns. Mining activities and agricultural runoff introduce sediments and pollutants that degrade water quality in the clear, fast-flowing streams this species requires. The extremely limited range makes the entire population vulnerable to single catastrophic events or localized habitat destruction.

Threat summary

Habitat

This critically endangered cyprinid inhabits clear, fast-flowing hill streams and tributaries in the Eastern Himalayas of Arunachal Pradesh, India. It requires well-oxygenated waters with rocky substrates and is adapted to the specific hydrological conditions of high-altitude Brahmaputra basin tributaries.

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Garra arunachalami classified as Critically Endangered?
Garra arunachalami is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Garra arunachalami faces severe threats from hydroelectric dam construction and river modification projects in the Brahmaputra basin, which fragment its habitat and alter critical water flow patterns. Mining activities and agricultural runoff introduce sediments and pollutants that degrade water quality in the clear, fast-flowing streams this species requires. The extremely limited range makes the entire population vulnerable to single catastrophic events or localized habitat destruction.
Where does Garra arunachalami live?
Garra arunachalami occurs in India. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Garra arunachalami?
The main threats to Garra arunachalami are ai-1, ai-2, ai-3, and ai-4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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