biologist Zeb Hogan is getting a close-up look at one of the world’s
close-up look at one of the world’s
close-up look at one of the world’s largest freshwater fishes the Chinese
largest freshwater fishes the Chinese
largest freshwater fishes the Chinese sturgeon fish and its tails free so it
sturgeon fish and its tails free so it
sturgeon fish and its tails free so it can really whip around the sturgeons can
can really whip around the sturgeons can
can really whip around the sturgeons can grow up to 16 feet or 5 meters long and
grow up to 16 feet or 5 meters long and
grow up to 16 feet or 5 meters long and weigh almost 1,000 pounds
the Chinese sturgeon may be powerful but
the Chinese sturgeon may be powerful but this giant species is also in big
this giant species is also in big
this giant species is also in big trouble
trouble
trouble its home the Yangtze River in China
its home the Yangtze River in China
its home the Yangtze River in China Asia’s longest river is increasingly
Asia’s longest river is increasingly
Asia’s longest river is increasingly threatened by heavy boat traffic and
threatened by heavy boat traffic and
threatened by heavy boat traffic and pollution Hogan is leading the National
pollution Hogan is leading the National
pollution Hogan is leading the National Geographic society’s mega fishes project
Geographic society’s mega fishes project
Geographic society’s mega fishes project a 3-year study to document the status of
a 3-year study to document the status of
a 3-year study to document the status of the 20 or so species of giant fish found
the 20 or so species of giant fish found
the 20 or so species of giant fish found in rivers and lakes around the world
in rivers and lakes around the world
in rivers and lakes around the world more than a fifth of the world’s known
more than a fifth of the world’s known
more than a fifth of the world’s known freshwater fish species have become
freshwater fish species have become
freshwater fish species have become extinct or gravely threatened in recent
extinct or gravely threatened in recent
extinct or gravely threatened in recent years the construction of the gazoo ba
years the construction of the gazoo ba
years the construction of the gazoo ba dam in the early 1980s blocked the
dam in the early 1980s blocked the
dam in the early 1980s blocked the migration route to the spawning grounds
migration route to the spawning grounds
migration route to the spawning grounds of the sturgeon today there may be fewer
of the sturgeon today there may be fewer
of the sturgeon today there may be fewer than 1,000 adult sturgeons left in the
than 1,000 adult sturgeons left in the
than 1,000 adult sturgeons left in the Yangtze River mega fishes are often the
Yangtze River mega fishes are often the
Yangtze River mega fishes are often the first ones to suffer from overfishing or
first ones to suffer from overfishing or
first ones to suffer from overfishing or habitat loss each year at least ten
habitat loss each year at least ten
habitat loss each year at least ten sturgeons are also killed after being
sturgeons are also killed after being
sturgeons are also killed after being hit by boat propellers the new Three
hit by boat propellers the new Three
hit by boat propellers the new Three Gorges Dam the largest hydroelectric dam
Gorges Dam the largest hydroelectric dam
Gorges Dam the largest hydroelectric dam in the world will present another threat
in the world will present another threat
in the world will present another threat to these giant fish from the perspective
to these giant fish from the perspective
to these giant fish from the perspective of a fish there’s nothing that affects
of a fish there’s nothing that affects
of a fish there’s nothing that affects the environment like a dam the Chinese
the environment like a dam the Chinese
the environment like a dam the Chinese sturgeon now has no natural spawning
sturgeon now has no natural spawning
sturgeon now has no natural spawning ground
ground
ground in the Yangtze River researchers like
in the Yangtze River researchers like
in the Yangtze River researchers like Wei Qi way of the gang see River
Wei Qi way of the gang see River
Wei Qi way of the gang see River Fisheries Institute are locked in a race
Fisheries Institute are locked in a race
Fisheries Institute are locked in a race against time to save the giant fish here
against time to save the giant fish here
against time to save the giant fish here at a hatchery outside Jing su way and
at a hatchery outside Jing su way and
at a hatchery outside Jing su way and his colleagues are running a breeding
his colleagues are running a breeding
his colleagues are running a breeding program to enhance the sturgeon stock
program to enhance the sturgeon stock
program to enhance the sturgeon stock half-a-million larvae produces how many
half-a-million larvae produces how many
half-a-million larvae produces how many how many fish
how many fish
how many fish how many can survive now we can survive
how many can survive now we can survive
how many can survive now we can survive 80% 80% so we thought 400,000 yeah
80% 80% so we thought 400,000 yeah
80% 80% so we thought 400,000 yeah fingerlings researchers may yet save the
fingerlings researchers may yet save the
fingerlings researchers may yet save the chinese sturgeon but for an even larger
chinese sturgeon but for an even larger
chinese sturgeon but for an even larger Yangtze Giant the Chinese paddlefish it
Yangtze Giant the Chinese paddlefish it
Yangtze Giant the Chinese paddlefish it may be too late in late 2002 dr. Wei and
may be too late in late 2002 dr. Wei and
may be too late in late 2002 dr. Wei and his team attempted to rehabilitate one
his team attempted to rehabilitate one
his team attempted to rehabilitate one of the last paddlefish is captured in
of the last paddlefish is captured in
of the last paddlefish is captured in the wild it had been injured by a boat
the wild it had been injured by a boat
the wild it had been injured by a boat and died in captivity less than 30 days
and died in captivity less than 30 days
and died in captivity less than 30 days after its capture the paddlefish can
after its capture the paddlefish can
after its capture the paddlefish can reportedly grow up to 23 feet or 7
reportedly grow up to 23 feet or 7
reportedly grow up to 23 feet or 7 meters long and weigh more than half a
meters long and weigh more than half a
meters long and weigh more than half a ton but no paddlefish has been seen
ton but no paddlefish has been seen
ton but no paddlefish has been seen since 2003 no fish probably uses a fish
since 2003 no fish probably uses a fish
since 2003 no fish probably uses a fish finally finds the could be edge and his
finally finds the could be edge and his
finally finds the could be edge and his pet fish we find there’s some signal
pet fish we find there’s some signal
pet fish we find there’s some signal some signals his 60-foot research vessel
some signals his 60-foot research vessel
some signals his 60-foot research vessel was equipped with a tank and a crane
was equipped with a tank and a crane
was equipped with a tank and a crane ready to rescue any giant fish that he
ready to rescue any giant fish that he
ready to rescue any giant fish that he might find if the search fails this may
might find if the search fails this may
might find if the search fails this may be the closest we’ll ever get to see the
be the closest we’ll ever get to see the
be the closest we’ll ever get to see the Chinese paddlefish again
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