Beluga Sturgeon: Biggest Freshwater Fish in the World
If you are still stuck on Nemo, it's time to make way for the Beluga Sturgeon, the biggest freshwater fish in the world, beating the likes of the Mekong Giant Catfish, or the Alligator Gar in the process. We understand that this is not enough information worthy of describing the king of freshwater, so here are a few facts about the Beluga Sturgeon.
What makes it the largest fish? The Beluga Sturgeon can grow upto 15 ft long, and its weight can be a whopping 1,133 kg! Now that's a fish who can feature in a Complan advertisement, I guess.
The largest Beluga Sturgeon: This record is held by a female, who reached upto 23.6 ft, and had a massive weight of 1,571 kg! The record was made way back in 1827, and is still intact. Also, the females tend to be larger than the males.
Lifespan: These fish can live very long, upto a 118 years approximately, and apart from that, they also mature much later than their counterparts.
Woes of the predator: They are predators, and devour fish, waterfowl, and even seal pups. But that doesn't mean that the predators cannot face any danger themselves. Humans pose a threat to them, as the female's caviar is in high demand and considered a delicacy. Besides this, the air bladder of both the male and female makes the best isinglass. That makes the Beluga Sturgeon a much sought after fish, which has posed a genuine threat to their existence.
Saving the Beluga Sturgeon: The IUCN Red List of Endangered Species listed them as 'critically endangered'. Also, international trade of the Beluga Sturgeon is restricted, as the United States Fish and Wildlife Service banned their import from the Caspian Sea. While the measures are praiseworthy, they only came into force from 2004 onwards.
If you are wondering where to find this amazing Beluga Sturgeon, the answer would be in the Caspian and Black Sea basins, and frequently in the Adriatic Sea. They can also switch effortlessly between salt and freshwater. Turns out the Beluga Sturgeon is much more than its large size, which is why it rules the freshwater kingdom.
Post Written by - Lopamudra
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