Known as "the king of freshwater fish in China", the Yangtze sturgeon was officially declared extinct by IUCN.

IUCN updated the Red List of Endangered Species on July 2, 20221day, Beijing time. According to the catalogue, the endemic species of the Yangtze River, the white sturgeon (Psephurus gladius), has been extinct, and the Yangtze River sturgeon (Acipenser dabryanus) has been extinct in the wild. Globally, the naked-bellied sturgeon (ACI penser nudi venturis aralsea subgroup) has become extinct. The Red List also improved the protection level of seven other sturgeons.

Brief introduction of Yangtze sturgeon

Acipenser Changjiang, also known as Acipenser davidii, is a unique fish in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in China, and it is a national first-class protected wild animal. Known as the "national treasure in water", it is an ancient species that existed at the same time as dinosaurs and a living fossil for studying the evolution of fish and vertebrates. Affected by overfishing, illegal fishing, environmental pollution, macro-ecological pattern changes and other factors, the wild population of Acipenser Changjiang has basically disappeared, and it has been listed as extremely dangerous by the World Conservation Union.

Acipenser changjiangensis is a freshwater fish, which lives in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and the bottom of the Loki River. The main food is benthic invertebrates (chironomid larvae, dragonfly larvae, mayfly larvae and pupae, salamanders, oligochaetes, etc. ), but also prey on aquatic plant debris, algae (diatoms and filamentous algae) and humus, and a few individuals prey on fry and young fish.