History and perspectives of 'living fossils' (sturgeons) in the Danube River

摘要

Despite these efforts in conservation, huge gaps in knowledge still remain, and more work is necessary to restore Danube River sturgeon stocks. This lack of knowledge is illustrated by a single incident on 31 October 2003; the catch of an adult Ship sturgeon (A. nudiventris) of 1.76m total length and a weight of 56.2 kg in the Danube River near the mouth of the Drava River (river km 1390). This find raises even more questions about the status of this species believed to be possibly extinct in the Danube riverine system (SIMONOVIC et al. 2004).