A Sturgeon Warning

An Ancient Gulf Sturgeon
Photo credit: USFWS


This will be quite brief/abrupt and to the point.
We had an unnecessary tragedy here over the Holiday weekend.
A 5-year-old child was killed by a Gulf Sturgeon jumping into the boat she and her family were in.
It happened on the Suwannee River near Tallahassee in the Florida Panhandle.
For those of you who have been here for a while, you are probably aware of my personal website:
http://www.gator-woman.com
I only mention it because for quite a few years now, I have been writing about the possibility of this very event happening and warning people about it:
http://www.gator-woman.com/gulfsturgeon.html

There are signs in the area that tell those who wish to go out on the River about the Gulf  Sturgeon and the potential dangers that exist there.
Either these people were not from the area, or perhaps may not have seen the Warning signs.
Regardless, a child is gone and her mother and brother are in the hospital.
This is a VERY BIG fish and when and if, it lands in your boat, or God forbid on you, the result will most certainly be tragic, as it was in this case.
Please take a look at the Sturgeon page above, if you are thinking of boating in this most beautiful place.
This is the time when the fish are most active and as our local news pointed out, the River was low, making it even more likely  to occur.

My prayers are with this family, my hope is that this never has to happen again.
Please, please, stay safe whenever you are visiting, vacationing, or just out with your family having fun in a new area.
When ever you are in a new or unfamiliar place, always do ask questions of those who are there to protect you,  or those who may already be there,  about local safety precautions.
Even one child is too many to lose to such a terrible accident.
This Ancient Fish has no idea that he can harm us, he is just doing what he and his Ancestors have always done on the Suwannee River.
 
Places to learn more:
Leaping Sturgeon strikes 5-year-old on Suwannee River killing Florida toddler
Girl killed by sturgeon jumping while boating: Not isolated incident in Florida
Leaping sturgeon kills child in Florida
FWC: Girl, 5, killed after being struck by jumping sturgeon in boat
Jaylon Rippy 5, dead, Colleen Harvey, 42, 9-year-old child injured when sturgeon jumps into boat on the Suwannee River in Lake City, Florida