Post #882

Sturgeons have survived for 162 million years, enduring countless challenges—until humans pushed them to the brink of extinction. Once thriving in both fresh and saltwater habitats, these ancient fish are crucial to the health of our ecosystems, yet their populations have plummeted by 94% since 1970. Today, all 26 species of sturgeon are listed as vulnerable, endangered, critically endangered, or extinct in the wild. In Kazakhstan, the Syr Darya sturgeon may already be extinct—no one has seen one since the 1960s, after a series of Soviet dams was built throughout the Syr Darya River system. But Bernie Kuhajda (slide 3, at right), an aquatic conservation biologist, continues his search, holding on to the hope of a recovery. Breeding programs like the one at the Oneida Fish Cultural Station in New York (slide 1) are helping to rejuvenate sturgeon populations. Fingerlings, four-to-six inches long, grow in hatchery tanks for months before being released back into the wild. In Idaho's Snake River (slide 2), state fishery officials tag an eight-foot white sturgeon. To learn more about the fight to protect these ancient fish, visit: https://on.natgeo.com/4jdt3MR