Jumping sturgeon injures two in Suwannee, Florida

The sturgeon on the picture is not the sturgeon in the story
Photo by NOAA

A four year old boy got his arm broken by a jumping sturgeon on the Suwannee River on September 7. At the same time, the boy’s father was cut by the fish. According to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, witnesses observed the family’s boat moving through the water at about 30 miles per hour when a three to four foot long sturgeon jumped up from the water in front of the craft. The sturgeon shattered the boat’s windshield and cut 32-year old Christopher Howard before smashing into his four year old son Chandler Howard. The impact was severe enough to break the arm of the young boy.

The Suwannee River is home to a major sturgeon population. According to state biologists, about 6,500-7,000 specimens spend up to 9 months per year in the river. Since their average weight is 40 lbs (18 kg) and the largest specimens caught in the Suwannee weigh about 200 lbs (90 kg), these sturgeons can cause serious injury to humans when jumping up from the water at high speed.