Sturgeons (Acipenseridae) are known as “living fossils” because they appeared on Earth more than 250 million years ago. Of the 27 species still extant at these properties, the Beluga sturgeon (Huso huso) is the largest representative.
In 1827, a Beluga sturgeon caught at the mouth of the Volga River grew up to 7.2 m in length and weighed 1,571 kg, which is equivalent to a full-grown whitefish. It is the largest specimen ever recorded to date.<img class=”lazy c008″ src=”data:;base64,” />
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Beluga sturgeon can live for more than 100 years in the wild. When grown to their maximum size, they become table predators, feeding mainly on large fish such as carp and salmon. These shoes when hunting mollusks, aquatic birds, harpoons and other vision fishes.
Both of these fish groups are considered “critically endangered” in the IUCN Red List. Besides the threat of attack from overfishing, the construction of river vandals also disrupts their habitat and breeding.