Yichang: Guarding the Chinese Sturgeon's Journey Home

The Chinese sturgeon, a "living fossil" dating back to the age of dinosaurs, is born in the Yangtze River, grows in the ocean, and migrates thousands of miles back to the Yangtze to spawn. Yichang serves as a key hub along this migration route.

In Yichang, scientists carefully breed young sturgeon, track them using sonar tags, and preserve genetic material through a dedicated gene bank. The city has adopted single-span bridge designs to keep migration channels clear, while former fishermen now patrol the river as conservation workers.

Together, these efforts support the recovery of the Chinese sturgeon and contribute to biodiversity conservation across the Yangtze River Basin.