Chinese paddlefish and Yangtze sturgeon declared extinct despite conservation efforts
- ‘Shocking but not surprising’: IUCN sturgeon group chair says species losses are an indictment of governments across the globe
- Scientists optimistic Chinese sturgeon still have a fighting chance if urgent and revolutionary recovery efforts are made
Two iconic Chinese fish, known as the last giants of the Yangtze River, have been declared extinct after decades of environmental efforts that scientists and conservationists say were defeated by dam construction and overfishing.
In the first comprehensive assessment of its type in more than 13 years, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) updated its Red List of Threatened Species on Thursday and confirmed the extinction of the Chinese paddlefish, or Psephurus gladius.
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About 50,000 Chinese sturgeon fry, known as ‘aquatic panda’, released into Yangtze River
The Yangtze sturgeon, or Acipenser dabryanus, has been moved from critically endangered to extinct in the wild.
“The world’s failure to safeguard sturgeon species is an indictment of governments across the globe, who are failing to sustainably manage their rivers and live up to their commitments to conserve these iconic fish and halt the global loss of nature,” said Arne Ludwig, chair of the IUCN sturgeon specialist group.
“These shocking – but sadly not surprising – assessments mean that sturgeon retain their unwanted titles as the world’s most threatened group of species,” Ludwig said.
The loss of the two wild freshwater species has contributed to the degradation of biodiversity and deterioration of their river habitats, which are essential to the well-being of humans and nature.
