Researchers stunned as 'living dinosaur' makes remarkable return to popular lake: 'That was the first time'

Researchers are witnessing the remarkable return of a 'living dinosaur' in a lake in Minnesota. The amazing return of the state's largest fish has left researchers intrigued, prompting more research.

As reported by MinnPost, lake sturgeon were once a regular sight in Big Stone Lake, found along Minnesota's border with South Dakota. However, after 1946, these fish were wiped out due to mass harvesting.

To combat this, the Department of Natural Resources began introducing young fish, known as fingerlings, to the lake in 2014. From these introductions, the lake sturgeon population has grown beyond expectations. This growth has occurred after significant work has taken place to improve the quality of the water in the lake.

The researchers will now start tagging fish to help understand their movements and enable them to take blood to find out if the fish are reproducing. This would be a mark of success in reestablishing the population in the lake.

A similar story was observed in the Red River basin, found north of the lake. In 2022, the DNR started a 20-year stocking plan, and dams and other barriers were either modified or removed to help sturgeon return to their spawning grounds. The first sexually mature female was documented in 2019, and evidence of spawning was observed three years later.

"That was the first time we were able to verify spawning of lake sturgeon in the river basin in more than 100 years," said Nick Kludt, a DNR fisheries specialist involved in sturgeon restoration in the Red River basin, according to MinnPost.

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The return of healthy fish populations to lakes and rivers is a sign that the ecosystems are improving in health, which is great news for people and the planet. Healthy rivers and lakes provide a range of ecosystem services, including clean drinking water and agricultural irrigation. They also support a lot of biodiversity, creating habitats that are essential for birds, fish, and mammals.

Aquatic ecosystems also provide recreational activities like fishing and tourism, which support human well-being and provide many people with the livelihoods on which they depend.

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