Assessing behavioral and physiological welfare indicators for the Kashmir loach (Triplophysa kashmirensis)
Grantee: Misba Rehman
Institution: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, India
Grant amount: $6,500
Grant type: Seed grants
Focal species: Kashmir Loach (Triplophysa kashmirensis)
Conservation status: Critically endangered
Disciplines: Ichthyology, physiology, animal behavior
Research location: India
Project summary
This project aims to develop and validate non-invasive behavioral and physiological welfare indicators for the Kashmir loach (Triplophysa kashmirensis), a small benthic freshwater fish endemic to Himalayan streams. Fish will be observed under natural stream conditions, with underwater cameras recording behaviors like activity, refuge use, foraging, and abnormal swimming patterns. Physiological welfare will be assessed using mucus sampling to measure cortisol concentrations and supplementary indicators including oxidative stress and immune markers. Indicators will be validated by testing their correlation with key water quality parameters. By integrating behavioral, physiological, and environmental data, the project aims to establish the first field-based welfare assessment framework for this species and develop a transferable model for wild freshwater fishes inhabiting mountain stream ecosystems.
Why we funded this project
This project contributes to wild animal welfare science by developing and validating a field-applicable, non-invasive framework for assessing welfare in free-living freshwater fishes, a group that remains highly understudied in welfare research.