John Ball Zoo and several partners are currently monitoring sturgeons in the Grand River to contribute to the conservation of this living fossil.
The Zoo works with the Grand Rapids Public Museum (GRPM) and Grand Valley State University to survey for sturgeon at nighttime in the river, capturing them and taking genetic samples, tagging the fish and releasing them. The groups also monitor sturgeons using sonar technology. The data gathered helps the partners learn where sturgeons are reproducing so spawning habitats can be conserved.
Since early September, the partners have had a successful season, spotting multiple juvenile sturgeons, which is a clear indicator of successful reproduction. The surveys will continue into October. It’s estimated that sturgeons, which are an endangered species, have been around for millions of years, and they are prehistoric in their appearance, with bony plates along their bodies.
“Historically, the Grand River has been an important habitat for sturgeons, but we know very little about the modern population,” said Bill Flanagan, conservation manager at John Ball Zoo. “We are proud to work with these community partners and conduct this research which will serve as the foundation for conservation action to protect this amazing species.”
This work is funded by a grant secured by the GRPM from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The funding also supports sonar technology that GVSU uses to measure the activity of adult sturgeons in the Grand River.
"It is exciting to have so many partners including government agencies, nonprofits, and universities all working together for the good of a single species," said Dr. Stephanie Ogren, vice president of Science and Education at the GRPM. "The enhanced understanding of Lake Sturgeon through this project is of ecological significance and spotlights the Grand River's broader importance."
Eric Snyder, professor of biology at GVSU, said the research, which has involved multiple graduate and undergraduate students, allows experts to learn more about this understudied sub-population of fish in a naturally cloudy river that makes it difficult to spot sturgeons.
“In the Great Lakes there is arguably no more iconic fish than the lake sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens). Not only are they ‘canaries in a coal mine' – their presence and health indicating healthy lake and river conditions – but they are also culturally vital to Indigenous peoples," Snyder said. "We are using advanced sonar technology to ‘spot’ migrating sturgeon in the spring season as they move upstream, effectively pulling back the curtain on the adult life-history spawning stage. At the other end of the life-history spectrum, we have been conducting night-time surveys in the fall for juvenile sturgeon.”
The data collected by John Ball Zoo and its partners will be important as the restoration of the Grand River continues, said Marty Holtgren, the founder of Encompass Socio-ecological Consulting, which is helping coordinate this project. The seven years of data already collected from this project will be used to measure the effectiveness of river restoration for sturgeons and other species. Sturgeons also have an important connection to local tribal communities and local tribes are also working to preserve the sturgeon population.
“It’s very exciting to work with these groups and the greater community to bring back an important cultural attribute,” Holtgren said. “Each of these group’s commitment to this project for the last several years is inspiring and will make a big difference in the conservation of sturgeons, which are important for the health of the river and as a cultural symbol of local tribes.”
