IUCN declares extinction of the Chinese paddlefish, with dam-building likely to be a major factor

By Xiaoai

Abstract:

According to the IUCN Sturgeon Specialist Group (SSG) new assessment published on July 21, 2022, 100 percent of the world's 26 remaining sturgeon species are now at risk of extinction, up from 85 percent in 2009, and the IUCN officially declared the extinction of the Chinese paddlefish, Psephurus gladius. In September 2021, a report co-

published by United Nations agencies noted that while overfishing and pollution had contributed to the acceleration of extinction, the construction of multiple dams in the Yangtze River, the Chinese paddlefish's natural habitat, may have resulted in its distinction. Dam construction has affected all sturgeon species that migrate to their breeding grounds, and warming rivers due to climate change have further disrupted sturgeon reproduction.

Key words:

Chinese paddlefish, species extinction, IUCN, Hydropower station construction, biodiversity

Xiaoai. IUCN declares extinction of the Chinese paddlefish, with dam-

building likely to be a major factor. Biodiversity Conservation and Green Development. Vol.1 No.8, July 2022, ISSN2749-9065

Source: IUCN Red List

The paddlefish once had a range that is now extinct

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