![Viral 13 Foot Sturgeon Photo in the Kennebec is a Hoax](http://townsquare.media/site/696/files/2022/06/attachment-GettyImages-1139741776.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Viral 13 Foot Sturgeon Photo in the Kennebec is a Hoax
Sturgeon
It is not uncommon to see the endangered sturgeon in Maine rivers. I've seen more than I can count hopping out of the Kennebec River in Augusta. These are primitive fish and pre-date dinosaurs. According to MaineRivers.org, they are bottom feeders.
The ones we're likely to see in Maine rivers are the shortnose sturgeon which rarely reaches more than 3 feet long whereas their cousin, the Atlantic sturgeon can grow to more than twice that at 7 feet according to MaineRivers.org.
While 3 feet is still impressive for a prehistoric local fish, it's a far cry from a recent viral photo claiming to be a 13-foot-long sturgeon found in the Kennebec River.
Fake News
A photo was shared by someone by the name of Charitha Fernando of Auckland, New Zealand, and was then shared by a Facebook group, INCREDIBLE UNIVERSE which has over 210,000 members. The photo currently has over 1,000 shares.
The problem is that this photo went viral 6 years ago according to NBC26. The original, however, said that the sturgeon was found on Winnebago and between 12 and 14 feet long. The poster even said it was a joke.
That post has over 18,000 shares.
The Truth
Wikipedia does back up the claim that the largest sturgeon on record was a beluga in 1827 in the Volga Delta that spans southern Russia and western Kazakhstan that measured 23 feet 7 inches.
It's certainly not uncommon to see these creatures in Maine, just don't expect anything more than a few feet long.
And don't believe everything you read on the internet.
20 Popular Celebrity Alcohol Brands Available at NH Liquor & Wine Outlet Stores
25 Ways to Spot a Tourist in Maine
More From Q97.9
![Sweet, Handsome, Bearded Dog Has Been Waiting in a Maine Shelter for Nearly 100 Days](http://townsquare.media/site/701/files/2023/10/attachment-aries.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Ride the ‘Whitewater Rollercoaster’ in a Tube on This Maine River](http://townsquare.media/site/698/files/2023/06/attachment-Untitled-design-115.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![The Ames ‘Comeback’ is Clearly Fake…but Man, It’s Entertaining](http://townsquare.media/site/699/files/2023/04/attachment-IMG_2518.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Maine Cat With the Saddest Eyes Has Been Waiting Months for Adoption](http://townsquare.media/site/698/files/2023/01/attachment-Omega-KVHS.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Road Trip-Worthy: See 20+ Iconic and Hidden Gem Maine Lighthouses From Kittery to the Midcoast](http://townsquare.media/site/697/files/2022/01/attachment-gettyimages-1001592096.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![SMISHING: A USPS Scam That Is Hitting Maine Hard Through Text Messages](http://townsquare.media/site/490/files/2022/12/attachment-SCAM_11zon.jpeg?w=980&q=75)
![These 3 Walking Tours Will Teach You About Augusta’s Haunted History](http://townsquare.media/site/695/files/2022/05/attachment-Untitled-design-2022-05-11T154230.105.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![16 of the Best Ice Cream Stands in Maine](http://townsquare.media/site/696/files/2022/05/attachment-Untitled-design-2022-05-09T172046.931.jpg?w=980&q=75)
![Maine Man Desperately Wants to Buy Back His High School Truck for the Most Sentimental Reason](http://townsquare.media/site/490/files/2022/05/attachment-Untitled-design-2022-05-24T060432.900_11zon.jpeg?w=980&q=75)