The Ancient Fish That Defies Conservation The revelation that some Great Lakes sturgeon may live for over 400 years has sent shockwaves through the scientific community, forcing a reevaluation of how to save these magnificent creatures from extinction.
This extraordinary longevity raises questions about what it means to try and conserve an animal that may outlive its human caretakers.
A new method for estimating sturgeon age uses growth rates rather than annual rings in their fin rays. This approach has yielded remarkable results, with some fish calculated to have lived for centuries.