At a glance
- IUCN category
- CR · Critically Endangered
- Animal group
- Fish
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The beluga sturgeon is a giant, long-lived fish of the Caspian and Black Sea region and the source of the most prized caviar. It is assessed as Critically Endangered.
It can reach enormous sizes and takes many years to mature, making it slow to recover.
Range & habitat
The Caspian and Black Sea basins and their large rivers.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Overfishing for caviar
- Poaching
- Dams blocking spawning migrations
Why it matters
A living link to ancient fish lineages, the beluga sturgeon shows how the luxury caviar trade and dammed rivers can push even a giant, ancient species toward extinction.
Source of beluga caviar; heavily affected by overfishing.
Sources
Sources for Beluga Sturgeon
- IUCN Red List — look up Beluga Sturgeon (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is beluga caviar linked to the species' decline?
Beluga sturgeon are killed for their roe (caviar), which is highly valuable. Combined with their slow maturation, this overharvest — and poaching — has driven steep declines.
Why is the beluga sturgeon Critically Endangered?
Published assessments cite overfishing for caviar, poaching, and dams that block the long river migrations it needs to spawn. See the IUCN Red List.
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