Photo: Chinese sturgeons in an aquarium

A pair of Chinese sturgeons swim in the Beijing City Aquarium in China. Capable of weighing half a ton and growing to 16 feet (5 meters) long, this freshwater leviathan is one of the largest sturgeon species on Earth. River damming in China has caused its numbers to plummet, and it is listed as an endangered species.

Photograph courtesy Zeb Hogan

Map

Map: Chinese sturgeon range

Fast Facts

Type:
Fish
Diet:
Carnivore
Average life span in the wild:
50 to 60 years
Size:
Up to 16 ft (5 m)
Weight:
Up to 1,000 lbs (450 kg)
Group name:
Shoal
Protection status:
Endangered
Size relative to a bus:
Illustration: Chinese sturgeon compared with bus

Chinese sturgeons are seasoned travelers, undertaking a round-trip journey of some 2,000 miles (3,500 kilometers) every year from the East China Sea to their spawning grounds in the Yangtze River.

But in recent years this ancient cycle has been blocked by the Gezhouba Dam, built in the 1980s. Since that time subsequent dams have placed new, possibly insurmountable, hurdles in the sturgeons' upstream path and thrown the future of the species into serious doubt.

Heavy shipping traffic, overfishing, and water pollution have also plagued Yangtze River waters and taken a heavy toll on these aquatic behemoths. Some scientists think fewer than a thousand individuals may remain.

Chinese sturgeons can grow to enormous proportions, with large specimens topping 16 feet (5 meters) and 1,000 pounds (450 kilograms). These prehistoric-looking giants have a sharklike form, with large pectoral fins, a rounded snout, and rows of pronounced ridges running the length of their spine and flanks.

Chinese officials have made efforts to safeguard the sturgeon, including curtailed fishing and the creation of a conservation area below the Gezhouba Dam to serve as an alternative spawning ground. They've also attempted to replenish the fish's dwindling numbers by breeding millions of fry in captivity and releasing them into their native rivers. So far such efforts have met with little success.

Sturgeons may face long odds, but the fish has survival in its genes. Sturgeons have lived in the Yangtze for perhaps 140 million years, and this relic of the dinosaur era is sometimes dubbed a "living fossil."

Some reports suggest the sturgeon may already be adapting to its changing environment. Studies suggest its diet is shifting from less abundant bottom dwellers, like clams, to more plentiful earthworms.

Why Care About Water?

The National Geographic Society’s freshwater initiative is a multi-year global effort to inspire and empower individuals and communities to conserve freshwater and the extraordinary diversity of life that rivers, lakes, and wetlands sustain.

Learn More »

Freshwater Advocates

  • sandra new headshot.jpg

    Sandra Postel

    Sandra is a leading authority on international freshwater issues and is spearheading our global freshwater initiative.

  • Shannon Switzer.

    Shannon Switzer

    Shannon Switzer is an inspring young photographer and conservationist.

  • Photo: Zeb Hogan holds a taimen in Mongolia

    Zeb Hogan

    Zeb travels to the most endangered freshwater ecosystems striving to save critically endangered fish.

For More Inspiration »

Blogs

Explore Freshwater

The World's Water

  • Photo: Rio Pinquen river

    Amazon Headwaters

    Help protect this watershed—for the species that live there and the livelihoods that depend on it.

  • Photo: Person holding a crocodile

    Cambodia's Crocodiles

    Help give the endangered Siamese croc a fighting chance by combating hunting and habitat loss.

Learn More About Freshwater »

Test Your Water IQ

Newsletters