"Living Fossils": 1,000 Prehistoric Creatures Released In NY

The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) completed another impressive project last week, helping to repopulate a threatened species in New York State. The video is fascinating.

Prehistoric Animals in New York

Sturgeon are one of the oldest species of any animal still living today with some of these prehistoric fish dating back over 200 million years ago (for reference, dinosaurs went extinct 65 million years ago). Unsurprisingly, sturgeon have been given the nickname "living fossils". All sturgeon species living in New York are also listed as either threatened or endangered. That's exactly why the DEC was part of this exciting project.

Another sturgeon species, the White Sturgeon, was featured on River Monsters (River Monsters via YouTube)

DEC Sturgeon Project in New York

"Last week nearly a thousand Lake Sturgeon were released into the Genesee River by DEC Fisheries and New York Sea Grant staff", began a post from the DEC. The 1,000 lake sturgeon, which are threatened in New York, were raised at the Oneida Fish Hatchery and released in the Genesee River when they reached 4 months of age. The absolutely bonkers thing about sturgeon, though, is exactly how long they live (and how HUGE they get).

Amazing Sturgeon Facts

While the lake sturgeon were only 6 inches long when they were released last week, these fish can become ancient behemoths. Females have been known to live for up to 80 years, but the DEC noted that a 154-year-old lake sturgeon was netted in the 1950s. That specimen weighed over 200 pounds.

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Check out the feature on the white sturgeon on River Monsters below, and keep scrolling to check out the terrifying carnivorous fish found in New York.

Air-Breathing Fish That Eats Animals Found in Hudson Valley, New York

An invasive fish from Asia that can live on land for days and uses its sharp teeth to eat animals has been spotted in the Hudson Valley and other parts of New York State.