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Can you spare a fish 100 years?

Rare sturgeons need new home

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 08/27/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

One of three black Russian sturgeons that were seized two years ago from smugglers and are now outgrowing their tanks. (JOE.BRYKSA@FREEPRESS.MB.CA)

WANTED: doting owners with a gigantic fish tank to take care of three Black Russian sturgeons for the next 100 years.

The trio, which were seized from smugglers by the Canadian Wildlife Services in the fall of 2007, have outgrown their home for the last two years in the department of biological sciences at the University of Manitoba.

The fish were seized after smugglers tried to sell them as aquarium fish, which is illegal to do with an endangered species.

Black Russian sturgeons can grow to about four metres in length and weigh nearly 50 kilograms. In the wild, they live between 30 and 50 years but in captivity they could live to be nearly a century old, provided they're kept in a sufficiently large tank.

Terry Dick, a professor in biological sciences at the U of M, said fish this size obviously can't be kept in the same bowl as your goldfish.

"They would have to go to a public aquarium," he said, noting the three fish are now each a metre in length, after having arrived at one-tenth that size.

Dick said black Russian sturgeons are rare because of overharvesting in their traditional waters in Europe and Asia. Wild sturgeon caviar is considered a delicacy, he said.

Dick said the black market for this species is significant because captive sturgeons can be harvested for caviar in 10 to 12 years, less than half of the time required for their counterparts in the wild.

"It's a big issue internationally," he said.

A U of M spokesman said the three sturgeons are very docile. In fact, when the tank lid is opened, they'll often come to the surface to be petted.

"We love taking care of them but we can't do it for much longer because they're getting too big for us," the spokesperson said.

"It will be sad to see them go but as long as they go to a good home, we'll be happy."

-- Staff

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition August 27, 2009 A2

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