This article was first published June of 2024, edited for clarity. The kill order remains in effect
KANSAS CITY – If they hung a poster, it might read "Wanted Dead, Not Alive".
Last year, the Missouri Department of Conservation said the northern snakehead fish, an invasive species, was found for the fourth time in the state's waters.
It is a unique fish - originally from Northeast Asia - its scales and pattern resemble a snake, it has aggressive teeth, and can survive out of the water, breathing air and slithering across the ground. A destructive predator, it can wreak havoc on local species.
"Its main diet is small fish. But it will eat other invertebrates, amphibians, frogs, crayfish, birds, you name it," Missouri Department of Conservation fisheries biologist Dave Knuth.
The latest catch came below the Wappapello Lake Spillway north of Poplar Bluff. The angler didn't know what it was and left it on the pavement. It was still alive four hours later when it was handed over to authorities.
Besides being invasive, the fish can be territorial. "They are aggressive when they're defending their young this time of year," Knuth responded. "This species exhibits extreme parental care by both the male and female, so when they are guarding their young fry they can become very aggressive."
The worst he's heard of, though, is nipping at ankles.
Knuth says if you catch one - take a photo - and then kill it by either cutting off its head, or gutting it.
Don't let it get away. It's illegal to transport one alive.