Injured Wild Chinese Sturgeon, the Largest in the Past 20 years, Recuperates in Beijing

A giant wild Chinese sturgeon found injured at Yangtze River Basin on November 15, 2015, is now being treated and recovering in the Beijing Aquarium.

The 11-feet-long sturgeon was weak and had difficulties to consume food at first, but under the rescue team’s careful treatment, it had begun to recover and regain its regular movements. The rescue team has named the sturgeon 683-pound as ‘HouFu’, meaning ‘Post Joy’, which carries their hope for its speedy recovery.

The massive wild Chinese sturgeon was mistakenly caught by a fisherman at Yangtze River Basin. It suffered multiple injuries, and exhibited imbalanced movements.

This species is the largest of its kind found in the past 20 years, and it is a critically endangered species that is strictly protected by the Chinese government. A rescue team from the Yangtze River Fisheries Research Institute of the Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences immediately responded to the recuperation of the big fish.

With a special transportation vehicle, the wild sturgeon was transferred from Hubei Province to the Beijing Aquarium for further treatment.

After assessments, the sturgeon is confirmed as an egg-bearing female that may benefit the preservation of the species through artificial propagation.