Central Park ‘Fishzilla’: The so-called “Fishzilla,” actually referred to as the northern snakehead fish native to northeastern Asia, has reportedly invaded Central Park waterways, it was reported.
Environmental officials are looking to survey the Harlem Meer in Manhattan’s most famous park in the near future for snakehead specimens because the carnivorous fish might disrupt the ecosystem, reported NBC News.
Snakehead fish, which are considered an invasive species in the United States, have been spotted in Queens in recent years. The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation first nabbed one in 2008.
“It is its an aggressive fish,” Noel Rodriguez, 31, told WNYC. “It’s something that has to get out of this water, and I‘ll be trying the most free time that I have. The most days off I have, I’ll be fishing here.”
New York City officials have said that if one catches a snakehead, he or she should not release it and call 311.
Environmental officials say the fish eats frogs, crayfish, and other fish. They can breathe air and also can live in shallow water, or outside in damp areas for several days at a time.
“I would describe them as the freshwater fish equivalent of a tank,” Ron P. Swegman, a fly-fishing expert, told the New York Times.
According to a previous report by The Epoch Times, Northern snakeheads are tan colored and have numerous sharp teeth.
Snakeheads can spawn several times per year, while females can release thousands of eggs a year. Young fish can even move across the ground into water.
