Beluga sturgeon

Conservation status: criticaly endangered

In the past it was a relatively rare species along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast and the Bulgarian section of the river. Danube. In recent years, the species has declined significantly and only single individuals are caught. During the breeding season it inhabits permanent large rivers, and during the rest of the time - the open sea. Males reach maturity at 10-13 years and females at 13-15 years. Breeding occurs between February and May at water temperatures of 4-11 °C. The beluga feed mainly on fish. It does not feed during spawning. It is the largest freshwater fish in the world - larger than the legendary arapaima of South America. It reaches up to 7 m in length and weighs up to 300 kg. The largest fish ever caught has weighed more than a tonne and a half. It is disappearing because of the search for its caviar, the damming of rivers with dams and dikes, dredging and the destruction of the bottom.