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Scientists raise concerns about ancient fish species following onslaught of extreme weather: โ€˜Theyโ€™re not invincibleโ€™

September 30, 2024 โ€” With their spiky armor and snouts full of whiskers, Gulf sturgeon have been around since the time of the dinosaurs. But human-driven threats are pushing this Florida-native species to the brink, WUSF reports.

Whatโ€™s happening?

These fish, which are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, face a slew of threats. Pollution has expanded in the Suwannee River, one of the waterways where they live. Plus, hurricanes and flooding can worsen chemical runoff and create oxygen โ€œdead zonesโ€ that make it impossible for the sturgeon to breathe. For instance, scientists reported โ€œtremendousโ€ mortality in several Florida rivers with Hurricanes Irma in 2017 and Ivan in 2004, and theyโ€™re still waiting to assess the impacts of August 2024โ€™s Hurricane Debby, which rose water levels by 20 feet along the Suwannee. This rise threatened to spill more fertilizers, salts, and other nutrients into this fishโ€™s habitat. Meanwhile, a warming world is causing fluctuations in water levels, which can make it difficult or impossible for sturgeon to reach their spawning grounds.

According to WUSF, scientists say that โ€œFloridaโ€™s prehistoric fish are surviving as they have for eons โ€ฆ But theyโ€™re not invincible.โ€

Read the full article at The Cool Down

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