Singing Fish of Batticaloa – The Long Forgotten History is Renewing

Batticaloa, eastern part of Sri lanka is famous for many things, and one of them is almost forgotten by the current generation even though the emblems and statues reminds us why Batticaloa was once called “Town of Singing Fish”.

Singing Fish is not mystery or legend, but rather true phenomena that linger to this date in the lagoons of Batticaloa. Yes this is about kind of fishes which can make musical notes in the dark nights.

It is said in the old days, fishermen are greeted with this sound, and they navigate the lagoon with this sound, but with time, the singing of the lagoon has come to a very limited portion. In these days not even people passing through the Kallady Bridge can hear them, sometimes not even the fishermen who fishes beneath the bridge can hear them.

But these amazing creatures who make these beautiful sounds are not all extinct. With right time and equipment one can still hear the sounds, but one must admit that the sound is fading, the creatures are reducing in numbers.

In the beginning of 2014 Science Navigators teamed up with Cicely Fell, freelance documentary maker for BBC Radio 4 to capture the sound of Singing Fish. Around mid-night we set out into the lagoon with equipment to capture the sound. We were able to capture some sound of it, but this was much less than when we captured the sounds of Singing Fish back in 2012.

BBC Radio 4 made a fantastic programme on Singing Fish of Batticaloa and please go ahead and listen to that, you shall learn more about Singing Fish.

Listen to BBC Radio 4 Programme about Singing Fish

Science Navigators are looking forward to make arrangements to preserve this unique Singing Fish of Batticaloa, first we must identify the creature. Then the appropriate steps must be taken.

Singing Fish is sure the unique property of Batticaloa and of all Sri Lanka.

Image credit: Cicely Fell