I just came across an interesting fact about sturgeons — a giant specimen four meters long was found in the Kennebec River in Maine. It’s simply astonishing when you realize that such creatures swim in our waters.

And do you know that the largest sturgeon in history was even more impressive? In 1827, a beluga was caught at the mouth of the Volga — a female measuring 7.2 meters long and weighing over one and a half tons. It’s like a living dinosaur, only in water.

In general, sturgeons are kind of like living fossils. They’ve been on the planet for about 200 million years, according to scientists. They live over a century and grow to enormous sizes. Plus, their caviar is a delicacy valued worldwide. Luxury, in a word.

But here’s the problem — the largest sturgeon and its relatives are now under threat. Poaching, river pollution, overfishing — all of this has led many species to the brink of extinction. Protective measures and restrictions have been implemented worldwide. The story of the sturgeon is a reminder of how important it is to preserve biodiversity before it’s too late.