Living Fossils: Sturgeon of the San Francisco Estuary

Sturgeon are fish that considered living fossils. Their ancestors date back over 200 million years, to the same time as dinosaurs. These can grow taller than humans (over 2 m), weigh 160 kg, and live long humans. species have special adaptations, such a vacuum-like mouth body armor called scutes. There 27 of sturgeon worldwide. Two species, green white sturgeon, native California, USA, some largest animals in San Francisco Bay. populations declined due habitat loss, water management, overfishing, poaching, pollution, climate change. cannot jump barriers like salmon can, so structures dams block also from reaching their natural spawning farther upstream river. Scientists using new technologies monitor discover unique behaviors these dinosaur-era California’s rivers estuaries.