Sturgeons still delight us by their physical appearance and strength, by the taste of their flesh or roe, by their mystery from the time of dinosaurs. They are the oldest species of fish living in the world. Of all species of sturgeons, the Chinese sturgeon is the largest. It has existed for 140 million years, being one of the oldest animals that live in the world.

As the name implies, this fish is specific to China. The body shape of this animal resembles the shark, and of all species of fish that live in fresh water, the Chinese sturgeon ranks the top place in the size. Mature specimens can have a length of 4m (13 feet) and a weight exceeding 500kg (1,100lb). The physical structure of the sturgeon is distinct. This is a migratory fish; when young, it lives in the sea along the east coast of China, while at the age of 9-18 years old, in summer and fall it moves in groups in the Yangzi River. After a year, after having traveled nearly 2,500km, it arrives in Jinsha River, a tributary of the Yangzi River, to deposit the eggs. To avoid extinction of this extremely valuable fish species, today the Chinese sturgeon is protected by the Chinese government.