KENMORE, Wash. — A giant white sturgeon was found along the shore of Lake Washington near Log Boom Park in Kenmore last week.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) reported the dead sturgeon was found on Sept. 6. WDFW researchers deployed to examine the sturgeon, but did not find any obvious signs of mortality and couldn't determine a cause of death.
WDFW said the sturgeon measured to be just over 8 feet long and weighed approximately 300 to 400 pounds. It was estimated to be 60 to 80 years old.
Photos of the sturgeon circulated on social media since it was discovered. Some commentators on a Reddit post were shocked at the sturgeon's size.
WDFW said white surgeons can grow larger than 10 feet and weigh more than 1,000 pounds.
White sturgeon are anadromous, meaning they can travel between freshwater and saltwater, and are native to many large rivers and lakes across the Pacific Northwest, including Lake Washington, WDFW said. They are periodically documented moving through the Ballard Locks.
WDFW researchers often respond when dead sturgeon are reported to gain data on populations. Researchers from the University of Washington and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration also responded to take samples on conditions in Lake Washington.
White sturgeon are identified as a species of greatest conservation need under Washington state's Wildlife Action Plan.
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