{"id":13064,"date":"2026-03-29T12:54:03","date_gmt":"2026-03-29T12:54:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/?post_type=lesson&#038;p=13064"},"modified":"2026-05-06T07:47:51","modified_gmt":"2026-05-06T07:47:51","slug":"sturgeons","status":"publish","type":"lesson","link":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/lesson\/sturgeons\/","title":{"rendered":"Sturgeons"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\"><div class=\"class-box class-image\">\r\n\t<ul class=\"data-list\">\r\n\t\t<li>\r\n\t\t\t<a class=\"\" title=\"Journey into the Wild\" href=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/journeys\/journey-into-the-wild\/\" rel=\"noopener\">\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"class-logo medium\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/Journey_into_the_Wild-Tall.png\" alt=\"Journey into the Wild\" title=\"Journey into the Wild\" \/>\r\n\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t<\/a>\r\n\t\t<\/li>\r\n\t<\/ul>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<!--<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<h2 class=\"class-title\">Sturgeons<\/h2>\r\n<\/div>-->\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Key Information<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<h3 class=\"class-title\">Sturgeons<\/h3>\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-table\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Species<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>27 species<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Diet<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Carnivore<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Length<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Up to 24 ft<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Weight<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Up to 4,570 lb<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Classification<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Chordata > Actinopterygii > Acipenseriformes<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Conservation Status<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Vulnerable to Critically Endangered<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Habitat<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Deep ocean, lakes, rivers<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Learning Point<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ul>\n<li>Often called &#8220;<strong>living fossils<\/strong>,&#8221; <strong>sturgeons <\/strong>have <strong>remained virtually unchanged<\/strong> for <strong>over 200 million years<\/strong>. These massive fish are <strong>unique <\/strong>because they <strong>lack traditional scales<\/strong>, instead <strong>sporting five rows of bony, armor-like plates called scutes<\/strong>. With <strong>skeletons <\/strong>made of <strong>flexible cartilage<\/strong> rather than bone, they use <strong>sensitive whiskers<\/strong> (<strong>barbels<\/strong>) to <strong>scavenge <\/strong>the murky floors of rivers and oceans. Some species can <strong>live over a century<\/strong> and <strong>grow as heavy as a small car<\/strong>. However, due to <strong>slow reproduction<\/strong>, <strong>habitat loss<\/strong>, and the <strong>high demand for their eggs<\/strong> (<strong>caviar<\/strong>), they are now <strong>among the most endangered animals on Earth<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Project<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ul>\n<li>Draw a sturgeon and its eggs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tabs gutena-tabs-block gutena-tabs-block-77de37-56 class-container class-tab\"><ul class=\"gutena-tabs-tab tab-flex\"><li class=\"gutena-tab-title active\" data-tab=\"1\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-content icon-top\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-text\"><div>Overview<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li><li class=\"gutena-tab-title inactive\" data-tab=\"2\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-content icon-top\"><div class=\"gutena-tab-title-text\"><div>X-Ray (Fossil)<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/li><\/ul><div class=\"gutena-tabs-content is-layout-flow wp-block-gutena-tabs-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tab gutena-tab-block gutena-tab-block-543fc0-6f active class-box class-image\" data-tab=\"1\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a0c85891e7a7&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a0c85891e7a7\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"734\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Sturgeon_Beluga-1024x734.jpg\" alt=\"Beluga Sturgeon\" class=\"wp-image-13263\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Sturgeon_Beluga-1024x734.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Sturgeon_Beluga-300x215.jpg 300w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Sturgeon_Beluga-768x550.jpg 768w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Sturgeon_Beluga-1536x1101.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Sturgeon_Beluga.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">By <a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?title=User:%D0%9C%D0%B0%D0%BA%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%BC_%D0%AF%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BB%D1%94%D0%B2&amp;action=edit&amp;redlink=1\" class=\"new\" title=\"User:\u041c\u0430\u043a\u0441\u0438\u043c \u042f\u043a\u043e\u0432\u043b\u0454\u0432 (page does not exist)\">\u041c\u0430\u043a\u0441\u0438\u043c \u042f\u043a\u043e\u0432\u043b\u0454\u0432<\/a> &#8211; <span class=\"int-own-work\" lang=\"en\">Own work<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\" title=\"Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0\">CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=67084661\">Link<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-gutena-tab gutena-tab-block gutena-tab-block-05a1ad-fd inactive class-box class-image\" data-tab=\"2\">\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;6a0c85891ee9e&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"6a0c85891ee9e\" class=\"wp-block-image size-large wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"405\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Fossil_Sturgeon-1024x405.jpg\" alt=\"Fossil of Sturgeon\" class=\"wp-image-13262\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Fossil_Sturgeon-1024x405.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Fossil_Sturgeon-300x119.jpg 300w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Fossil_Sturgeon-768x304.jpg 768w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Fossil_Sturgeon-1536x607.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Fossil_Sturgeon.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">By <a href=\"\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/User:Archaeodontosaurus\" title=\"User:Archaeodontosaurus\">Didier Descouens<\/a> &#8211; <span class=\"int-own-work\" lang=\"en\">Own work<\/span>, <a href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-sa\/4.0\" title=\"Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0\">CC BY-SA 4.0<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=124388557\">Link<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Location<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-13064 gallery-columns-1 gallery-size-full'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon landscape'>\n\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1920\" height=\"960\" src=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Location_World.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full\" alt=\"World Map\" srcset=\"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Location_World.png 1920w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Location_World-300x150.png 300w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Location_World-1024x512.png 1024w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Location_World-768x384.png 768w, https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Location_World-1536x768.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\r\n\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-table\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">Locations<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<td>Seas and Rivers of Northern Hemisphere<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Fun Facts<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<ul>\n<li>Sturgeons have been swimming in Earth\u2019s waters since the time of the dinosaurs! They are called &#8220;living fossils&#8221; because they haven&#8217;t changed much in over 200 million years.<\/li>\n<li>Instead of slippery scales like a goldfish, sturgeons have five rows of bony plates called <strong>scutes<\/strong>. It\u2019s like they are wearing a suit of knight\u2019s armor!<\/li>\n<li>Sturgeons have a &#8220;heterocercal&#8221; tail, which means the top half is much longer than the bottom half. This makes them look a lot like prehistoric sharks.<\/li>\n<li>Adult sturgeons don&#8217;t have teeth! They use their vacuum-like mouths to suck up food from the bottom of the river, using their four &#8220;whiskers&#8221; (barbels) to feel for snacks in the dark.<\/li>\n<li>The biggest sturgeons, called Belugas, can grow to be over 20 feet long. That\u2019s longer than a large SUV and heavier than a small car!<\/li>\n<li>Some sturgeons are world travelers. They spend most of their time in the salty ocean but swim hundreds of miles into freshwater rivers just to lay their eggs.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\r\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Past Lessons<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-list\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"icon\">207<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td class=\"class-table-title\">April 8, 2026<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td>(North America)<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr class=\"hide-this-row\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"3\">No Past Lessons<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\">\r\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading class-header\">Upcoming Lessons<\/h4>\r\n\r\n<div class=\"class-box\">\r\n\t<figure class=\"wp-block-table info-table\">\r\n\t\t<div class=\"table-wrapper\">\r\n\t\t\t<table class=\"class-list\">\r\n\t\t\t\t<tbody>\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<tr class=\"hide-this-row\">\r\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<td colspan=\"3\">No Upcoming Lessons<\/td>\r\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/tr>\r\n\t\t\t\t<\/tbody>\r\n\t\t\t<\/table>\r\n\t\t<\/div>\r\n\t<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","class_list":["post-13064","lesson","type-lesson","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lesson\/13064","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/lesson"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/lesson"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/msealey.co.uk\/K12-Journeys\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13064"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}