Syr-Darya Shovelnose Sturgeon
CR

Syr-Darya Shovelnose Sturgeon

Pseudoscaphirhynchus fedtschenkoi

Declining

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syr_Darya_sturgeon

Overview

A detailed profile for this species is sourced from the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as assessments become available.

Pseudoscaphirhynchus fedtschenkoi faces severe threats from water extraction and dam construction throughout the Syr Darya river system, which has dramatically reduced water flow and altered natural flood cycles essential for spawning. Overfishing and illegal harvesting have further decimated remaining populations, while pollution from agricultural runoff and industrial discharge continues to degrade water quality in its limited range.

Threat summary

Habitat

This endemic sturgeon inhabits the middle and lower reaches of the Syr Darya river system in Central Asia, preferring deep pools and channels with sandy or muddy substrates. The species requires free-flowing river sections for spawning migrations and depends on seasonal flood patterns for successful reproduction.

FRESHWATER· major

Conservation measures underway

Species recoveryLegislation

Other threatened species in ACIPENSERIDAE

Siberian SturgeonCR

Siberian Sturgeon

Acipenser baerii

Declining
Amu Darya Shovelnose SturgeonCR

Amu Darya Shovelnose Sturgeon

Pseudoscaphirhynchus kaufmanni

Declining
Small Amu-Darya Shovelnose SturgeonCR

Small Amu-Darya Shovelnose Sturgeon

Pseudoscaphirhynchus hermanni

Declining
Stellate SturgeonCR

Stellate Sturgeon

Acipenser stellatus

Declining

Threatened in Kazakhstan

Menzbier's MarmotVU

Menzbier's Marmot

Marmota menzbieri

Declining
Scarce BlackneckCR

Scarce Blackneck

Lygephila craccae

Unknown
Asian HoubaraVU

Asian Houbara

Chlamydotis macqueenii

Declining
Yellow-breasted BuntingCR

Yellow-breasted Bunting

Emberiza aureola

Declining

Frequently asked questions

Why is Syr-Darya Shovelnose Sturgeon classified as Critically Endangered?
Syr-Darya Shovelnose Sturgeon is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Pseudoscaphirhynchus fedtschenkoi faces severe threats from water extraction and dam construction throughout the Syr Darya river system, which has dramatically reduced water flow and altered natural flood cycles essential for spawning. Overfishing and illegal harvesting have further decimated remaining populations, while pollution from agricultural runoff and industrial discharge continues to degrade water quality in its limited range.
Where does Syr-Darya Shovelnose Sturgeon live?
Syr-Darya Shovelnose Sturgeon occurs in Kazakhstan, Russia, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Syr-Darya Shovelnose Sturgeon?
The main threats to Syr-Darya Shovelnose Sturgeon are 1.1, 2.1, 5.1, and 5.4. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

Get weekly conservation intelligence

One short digest a week of the most striking species and country data we ship, plus breaking conservation news paired with our database where it matters.

Free, no spam. One-click unsubscribe in every email.