Ancient Fish Endangered

The Kootenai River white sturgeon, a fish species dating back to the dinosaur age, faces extinction unless officials find a way to mimic historical water flow in the river. These fish can grow to be 19 feet long and 1,000 pounds, and fewer than 500 still exist. They have not successfully reproduced for 35 years. A hydroelectric dam in Montana is to blame, altering the high water flows in the Kootenai River that triggered the fish to swim upstream and spawn. Biologists say the fish could be extinct within 15 years if nothing changes. Fishery officials plan to dump more water into the dam to fix this problem.