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Lake Sturgeon are Actually Incredible
December 22, 2016
As animals go, lake sturgeon are overlooked. There aren't many children's books with a lake sturgeon as the star or tv specials dedicated to their biology. But, as WCS Canada's Dr. Constance O'Connor writes on the Muddy Boots blog, they're worth a second look.
150 years
They don't just look wise. Lake sturgeon are seriously long-lived. The oldest on record lived a century and a half.
4.5 meters
They are also Canada's largest freshwater fish. The longest known topped out at 4.5 meters (14-plus feet!).
60 million
Lake sturgeon have been swimming the earth roughly 60 million years longer than humans have been here. And they closely resemble their ancient ancestors, which were around at the same time as the dinosaurs.
0 teeth
Though they look intimidating, lake sturgeon are actually toothless bottom feeders, feeling their way slowly along the floors of lakes and rivers with their soft barbels (which are essentially whiskers).
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