Marleigh Domeracki, Dennis Twp. Elementary School
Cape May County
Shortnose Sturgeon. Cape May County Marleigh Domeracki
Shortnose Sturgeon, Acipenser brevirostrum
As I lay on the ground my mouth zips out as I catch my food. Who do you think I am?
Hello, I am a Shortnose Sturgeon. There is a lot you should know about me. I need a whole lot of protection. There is lots you can do to help me to survive.
I am a very interesting animal. I live in an aquatic biome. We migrate into the ocean. I lay eggs in the freshwater. I am really a freshwater fish. I spawn in April / May and lay 40,000 to 200,000 eggs. My children take 18 years to mature. We lay eggs on the bottom of the water. My only transportation is swimming. My mouth zips out to catch my food. I am primordial in appearance. I am important to the environment because I am a bottom feeder.
I will go extinct if you do not protect me. I have been on the endangered species list since 1973. These are some things you can do to help me, like stop overfishing for sturgeons. Also stop polluting the water. If you do this, we will be a bigger group. It also helps other animals, too. Polluting is a big one and if you do not pollute, that will help our environment, too.
What can you do to help me? You can do a lot of things, as I just explained. Like what I told you about overfishing for sturgeons. Also, you can stop polluting to help us and the environment. We face challenges because of overfishing and also polluting the water. The challenges are very slow recovery on my species. As stated before it takes 18 years for a sturgeon to mature.
Now you know I am a shortnose sturgeon! Remember you can help me. I need protection so I do not become extinct. So please, stop polluting the water, and stop overfishing for sturgeons. All I want to do is lie on the ground beneath the water and eat my special way. I can’t do that without you.
Written By: Marleigh Domeracki
Dennis Township Elementary, Cape May Courthouse
Teacher: Mr. Arch