About 50,000 Chinese sturgeon fry, known as ‘aquatic panda’, released into Yangtze River

About 50,000 captive-bred Chinese sturgeon fry have been released into the Yangtze River in China’s Hubei province. Known as “aquatic panda”, the Chinese sturgeon is a national-level protected species in China. It has existed for about 140 million years and is known as a “living fossil” for its high research value. Nevertheless, human activity has caused a sharp decline in the population of Chinese sturgeon in the Yangtze River, to the point where it has become an endangered fish. Chinese researchers have to artificially breed them to ensure the species’ survival.