According to the Red List of Species updated by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on July 2022, 7 Beijing time, 21 species of sturgeon in the world are threatened with extinction. The list shows that the endemic species of the Yangtze River paddlefish is extinct, and the Yangtze sturgeon is extinct in the wild. On March 26, the reporter learned from the Institute of Fisheries of the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences that the Yangtze sturgeon, which was declared "extinct in the wild", has achieved natural spawning in natural waters for the first time after 3 years, and has successfully hatched seedlings in the same environment, taking a crucial step in restoring wild populations.
【During the same period】Lai Jiansheng, director of the Aquaculture and Facilities Fishery Research Center of the Institute of Fisheries, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences
It has been reported to have achieved natural reproduction in the wild environment, which is achieved under one of our preset experimental conditions. Then this success means that it will achieve natural reproduction in the river in the future, which is one step closer to this step.
It is reported that the scale of Yangtze River sturgeon parents artificially bred in the two bases of the institute in Chengdu and Yibin has reached more than 20,18. All of this stems from wild Yangtze sturgeon caught from the Yangtze River, known in the industry as the original species, and there are only <> remaining in the country, <> of which are in Sichuan. The Yangtze sturgeon in both bases are their descendants. In the pond of the institute, the reporter saw that several Yangtze River sturgeon about one meter long swam freely under the water. Not far away, in the nursery workshop, fertilized eggs like small tadpoles are hatching.
【During the same period】Lai Jiansheng, director of the Aquaculture and Facilities Fishery Research Center of the Institute of Fisheries, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences
The cycle of sexual maturation of this fish is relatively long. Then we need to do a lot of work in every link from the cultivation of seeds, to the cultivation of broodstock fish, to the artificial breeding of the fish after sexual maturity, and the artificial breeding of the bred offspring. So the more critical links are, for example, the cultivation of broodstock. Because broodstock breeding to make it sexually mature, it is necessary to create some necessary conditions for it, including the environment, nutrition and other aspects, need to do a series of research, which also encountered many difficulties. At the same time, in the stage of seed breeding, there are also many breakthroughs that need to be made.
Lai Jiansheng told reporters that the Yangtze sturgeon was declared extinct in the wild as a first-class protected animal, and the successful breeding in natural waters not only brings broader development possibilities for the species of the Yangtze sturgeon, but also provides a possible way out for more endangered animals in a similar embarrassing situation. Declaring extinction in the wild was once regrettable, but this successful experiment means that in the face of an increasingly improving ecological environment, rare species such as the Yangtze sturgeon can return to the habitat on which they depend, solving the dilemma of extinction in the wild.
【During the same period】Lai Jiansheng, director of the Aquaculture and Facilities Fishery Research Center of the Institute of Fisheries, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Because the Yangtze sturgeon is a flagship species in our Yangtze River Basin. It has a long sexual maturity cycle, its individuals are relatively large, and it is also a species that is particularly susceptible to changes in environmental factors. Population recovery of this species is an important piece of work that we are currently doing. This research may play an important role in the future recovery of other species in rivers.
Lai Jiansheng mentioned that the current success is only the initial stage, and there is still more work to be completed and studied in the future to achieve the goal of expanding the population.
【During the same period】Lai Jiansheng, director of the Aquaculture and Facilities Fishery Research Center of the Institute of Fisheries, Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences
From a conservation point of view, it is currently about its natural reproduction in the wild and the expansion of its population size, and now we are only doing the initial stage of work. So in the next step, in order to achieve the goal we just mentioned, more work needs to be done.
He Xun Ren Zhenxing reported from Chengdu
Responsible Editor: [Liu Pai]