1. Shortnose Sturgeon
By: Max

2. Diet
Small mollusks
Insect larvae
Crustaceans
Sludge worms
Crayfish
Clams
Because they are primarily nocturnal they only eat at
night

3. Enemies/ Why are they Endangered?
No natural enemies except humans
Sturgeon are endangered due to the following
• Over Fishing
• They are over fished because they produce caviar
(matured fish eggs, usually salted and eaten as a
delicacy)
• Loss of habitat
• Limited spawning areas because of river damming
• Water pollution

4. What can we do to help
If you’re fishing and catch one call your local wildlife
center and be sure to let it back into the water
Don’t pollute, especially by throwing trash into the
water

5. Physical Chacteristics
 Short rounded Conical Snout
 7-13 Dorsal Scutes
 33-42 Dorsal Soft Rays
 Barbels (located just beneath the mouth)
 22-34 Lateral Scutes
 Grow to be 4.5 feet in length
 When fully matured a sturgeon can weigh up to 50 pounds or more

6. Reproduction
Spawning occurs every 2-3 years
Female can lay up to 3.75 million eggs at one time
Spawn in Fresh water
Egg hatch after 13 days
Hatchlings are 7-11 mm. long, they have minimal sight
and swimming ability

7. Interesting Facts
To get its food a sturgeon vacuums it up through its
extendable mouth
Can live up to 67 years old
Have been around since the dinosaurs
They have a type of armor made up of bony plates
called scutes
To find food they skim the bottom of the lake or river
they are living in and use their barbels to feel around