Schelly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Schelly |
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|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Coregonus
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| Species: |
stigmaticus
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The schelly (Coregonus stigmaticus) is a special type of freshwater fish. It belongs to the salmon family, just like trout and salmon. You can only find this fish in four lakes in the beautiful Lake District, England.
Scientists sometimes have different ideas about the schelly's name. Some think it's a unique species. Others believe it's a type of the more common Eurasian whitefish. This fish lives in Brothers Water, Haweswater, Red Tarn, and Ullswater. Its numbers seem steady in most of these lakes. However, in Haweswater, its population is getting smaller.
The schelly faces a few dangers. Taking too much water from lakes is one problem. Another is cormorants, which are birds that eat fish. To help the schelly, people are trying to control the number of cormorants in Haweswater. The International Union for Conservation of Nature says this fish is "endangered". This means it's at high risk of disappearing forever.
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How Scientists Classify the Schelly
Scientists use a system called taxonomy to group living things. This helps them understand how different animals and plants are related.
Is the Schelly a Unique Species?
In Britain, schelly populations are often seen as part of a wider group. This group is called the Eurasian whitefish, or Coregonus lavaretus. Other fish like the Welsh gwyniad and Scottish powan are also in this group.
Some studies support this idea. They haven't found strong proof that schelly are a completely separate species. However, other groups like FishBase and the IUCN list the schelly as its own distinct species. They call it C. stigmaticus.
Where the Schelly Lives
The schelly is found only in the English Lake District, in a county called Cumbria.
Schelly's Home Lakes
The native homes of this fish are four specific lakes:
- Brothers Water
- Haweswater
- Red Tarn
- Ullswater
These four lakes cover a total area of about 20 square kilometers. This is a fairly small area for a fish to live in. Except for Haweswater, the schelly populations in these lakes seem to be doing well.
Protecting the Schelly
The schelly is an endangered fish, so people are working to protect it.
Threats to the Schelly
At Haweswater, fishery officers are now trying to control the number of cormorants. These birds visit the lake and eat the fish. This effort helps protect the endangered schelly.
Scientists have also studied data from Haweswater over 30 years. They found that the schelly population declined when more water was taken from the lake. Lower water levels also seemed to harm the fish.
Water Levels and Fish Survival
The number of young schelly born each year might depend on lake levels. This is especially true during the spawning period from January to March. Spawning is when fish lay their eggs. How fast the fish grow later in the year is also affected by water levels. This happens from June to October.
