Georgia Researchers Catch Giant Prehistoric Fish, Size Of A Toddler

Two researchers caught a giant, record-breaking, prehistoric fish in Floyd County that is being compared to the size of a human toddler. According to WSB-TV, this discovery was recorded as the largest lake sturgeon to ever be caught in the state. The species has been swimming in American and Canadian bodies of water for what scientists predict to be over 136 million years. The sturgeon that the researchers caught was 54-inches long and weighed a whopping 24-pounds. It was caught and released in the Coosa River in Rome before the Georgia DNR put a sign up in the area labeling it as an official sighting location.

In addition to this unexpected find, state researchers have also found fossils of the specific sturgeon species in the Coosa River Basin that indicate their return to the area. WSB-TV mentioned that researchers have not seen the fish in the state since the 1970's. Factors such as pollution and harvesting of eggs for caviar are what led to the decrease in population throughout the years.

Foto: Georgia DNR Wildlife Resources Division

In an attempt to replenish the population, scientist have put tags on a few of the sturgeons that are known to exist to monitor conditions in which they thrive, and what parts of the river they inhabit.

"We have implanted 28 fish with telemetry tags thus far, and plan to implant 12 more in the coming months," University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources professor Martin J. Hamel wrote to WSB-TV.


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