Otherworldly thunder of Atlantic sturgeon inspires awe

Dr. Patrick Baker from West Point’s Department of Geography and Earth Sciences (GEO) has co-authored groundbreaking research capturing the first-ever acoustic recordings of endangered Atlantic sturgeon spawning in the Hudson River.

The collaborative study utilized underwater microphones to record a mysterious, train-like rumbling beneath the surface, revealing the sounds to be male sturgeon thrashing during egg fertilization.

With fewer than 700 Atlantic sturgeon remaining in the Hudson due to historical overfishing, locating their hidden spawning grounds is vital. This pioneering bioacoustics technique empowers conservationists to noninvasively map and protect critical habitats for this ancient species.

Read the full feature via the Cornell Chronicle here.

Read the full paper in Endangered Species Research here.