September 30, 2024 — With their spiky armor and snouts full of whiskers, Gulf sturgeon have been around since the time of the dinosaurs. But human-driven threats are pushing this Florida-native species to the brink, WUSF reports.
What’s happening?
These fish, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, face a slew of threats. Pollution has expanded in the Suwannee River, one of the waterways where they live. Plus, hurricanes and flooding can worsen chemical runoff and create oxygen “dead zones” that make it impossible for the sturgeon to breathe. For instance, scientists reported “tremendous” mortality in several Florida rivers with Hurricanes Irma in 2017 and Ivan in 2004, and they’re still waiting to assess the impacts of August 2024’s Hurricane Debby, which rose water levels by 20 feet along the Suwannee. This rise threatened to spill more fertilizers, salts, and other nutrients into this fish’s habitat. Meanwhile, a warming world is causing fluctuations in water levels, which can make it difficult or impossible for sturgeon to reach their spawning grounds.
According to WUSF, scientists say that “Florida’s prehistoric fish are surviving as they have for eons … But they’re not invincible.”