New protected area in Georgia is a big boost for sturgeon

Sturgeon fish are truly remarkable for a plethora of reasons: they can live to be more than 100 years old, grow to be 20 feet long and weight more than a thousand pounds. Like Salmon the Sturgeon are anadromous, which mean they start their lives in freshwater then migrate to saltwater but do not die after spawning like Salmon. They even taste delicious as sushi, sashimi or marinaded.

Unfortunately, the Sturgeons’ populations and habitats have been threatened over past decades, so now we must find ways to safe guard this incredible species. Historically, six species of Sturgeon were widespread in Georgia but their range decreased and now all species in the Rioni River are threatened with extinction. 

Rioni River for saving the sturgeon © WWF Caucasus

The WWF’s Global Sturgeon Initiative has been working with the government of Georgia to expand the Kolkheti National Park. They have officially announced that there is now 670 hectares of protected area in the park’s existing 45,000 hectares. The newly protected area includes the estuary of the Rioni River, which is a vital important habitat for the critically endangered species. This is a big step in restoring the Sturgeon’s populations. To learn more, check out the WWF’s site https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/freshwater_practice/freshwater_news/freshwater_news_all/?5976916/New-Protected-Area-in-Georgia-is-a-big-boost-for-sturgeon