Alexi Argyros, Ho-Ho-Kus School
Bergen County
Second Place, Bergen County, Shortnose Sturgeon (c) Alexi Argyros
Shortnose Sturgeon
Now where are those mollusks hiding? Oh, why hello there, I didn't see you. I was mollusk hunting.
Anyway, I'm Sturg, the shortnose sturgeon. I'm the smallest of the three types of sturgeons that live in theNew JerseyandNew Yorkrivers. You would be surprised at how fast our species number is dropping. But before I explain about that, let me tell you a little about myself
I have a yellow stomach and reddish brown skin. I have a short rounded snout and my mouth is located on the underside of my head. For protection, I have bony or horny plates along my back, sides, and bottom. I can be as long as thirty-nine inches when I am full grown. My average size is 18 to 22 inches and I can weigh up to 50 pounds. Did I mention that I live 50 to 75 years? Most people call me a "living fossil"because I have been around for a REALLY long time. We sturgeon eat by using whisker like feelers to detect our food. When I was little sturgeon, I would eat bottom living crustaceans and insects. Now that I am an adult, I eat variety of tJ,rings such as large crustaceans, insects, freshwater clams and mussels, sea snails, marine worms, small flounder, and mollusks. Oh how I love those mollusks! Every year my wife lays 40,000 to 200,000 eggs in the
New YorkandNew Jerseyrivers in late March That is basically me. Let's move on to the more important stuff. The reasons I am endangered.
There are many reasons why my species and my family are endangered. Now don't go thinking that just because my wife lays 40,000 to 200,000 eggs doesn't mean they all hatch Many people use sturgeon eggs as caviar. I almost never get to see one of my little young live up to be an adult. Did you know that people kill female sturgeons to get the caviar? It makes me feel sad talking about it. Anyway that is one of the ways we are endangered. Another way we are endangered is that you people are over fishing. Over fishing is when you take more fish out of the water then you are supposed to. Also river pollution and dams are causing us to be endangered too. We were almost extinct until some water was cleaned and some dams were removed. If we shortnose sturgeon become extinct, the food chain will be affected. Many plants and animals might be affected by this incident. If we become extinct too many crustaceans and other food we eat will over populate. So remove dams, stop caviar industries, stop overfishing, and don't pollute the water!
I appreciate you taking the time to listen to me. I really hope you try to save our species. Once again thanks for listening. Time for me to get back to mollusk hunting!
Written by: Alexi Argyros
Ho-Ho-Kus School, Ho-Ho-Kus, NJ
Teacher: Mrs. Joyce