Chinese sturgeon

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/chinese-sturgeon

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Sinomyracodon sinensis
2. What is the historical habitat?Rivers and coastal waters of China, Japan, and the Korean Peninsula
3. Why is the Chinese sturgeon endangered?Dams block its migration and overfishing takes away too many adults. Pollution also hurts its health and food. These problems make it hard for the fish to survive.
4. How do Chinese sturgeons move from sea to river?They are anadromous, meaning they swim from the sea into freshwater rivers to lay eggs. They need clear paths to reach their spawning grounds.

Acipenseridae: The sturgeon family, characterized by ancient fish with bony plates and cartilaginous skeletons.
Benthic Organisms: Animals and plants that live on, in, or near the bottom of a body of water.
Anthropocene: The current geological epoch, defined by significant human impact on Earth's geology and ecosystems.