Home › Actinopterygii › Clupeidae › Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha)
SPECIES PROFILE
Hilsa (Tenualosa ilisha)
Tenualosa
IUCN STATUS
Least Concern
CONSERVATION STATUS
Least Concern
CLASS
Actinopterygii
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Eastern rivers: Ganges, Brahmaputra, Bay of Bengal
DIET
Carnivorous
HABITAT
Estuaries, rivers, coastal waters
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Actinopterygii
ORDER
Clupeiformes
FAMILY
Clupeidae
GENUS
Tenualosa
📋 Description
SIZE
30-60 cm long, 1-3 kg
COLORATION
Silver with a greenish back, streamlined body
ADAPTATIONS
Anadromous, strong swimmer
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Estuaries, rivers, coastal waters
DIET
Carnivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Eastern rivers: Ganges, Brahmaputra, Bay of Bengal
REPRODUCTION
Spawns in rivers, thousands of eggs
DIET DETAILS
Plankton, small fish
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Overfishing, habitat degradation
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Culinary Star: Bengal's hilsa dishes fetch 2000 INR per kg with 100000 tons harvested annually. Their 50 cm silver bodies migrate 100 km upstream.
2
Spawning Journeys: Females lay 1 million eggs in Ganges' deltas swimming against 5 km/h currents in Chilika. Overfishing threatens their 2000 km coastal range.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Ganges River in West Bengal near Kolkata is a prime hilsa fishing ground
Chilika Lake in Odisha brackish waters host hilsa sightings
Sundarbans National Park in West Bengal delta region offers hilsa sightings
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
October-March. Migration peaks during cooler months for hilsa in lakes.
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
Hire local boats to spot hilsa schools during early morning fishing trips.
🐾 You Might Also Want to See...
Species
Range
Status
Species
Range
Status
Species
Range
Status
Species
Range
Status
