Picture Stories
Lake Sturgeon Restoration Efforts in the Genesee River
The Seneca Zoo, US Geological Survey (USGS), and NY Department of Environmental Conservation (NYDEC) released lake sturgeon into the Genesee River in Rochester, N.Y. on October 1, 2022. The zoo has been raising sturgeon since 2003 as part of an initiative to reintroduce them to their native habitat after the effects of decades of pollution and overfishing nearly caused their extinction. Lake sturgeon are the oldest species that live in the Great Lakes. Fossil records indicate that they have lived in this region for over 85 million years. They are sometimes called “dinosaur fish” growing to 8 feet long and can reach 800 pounds. In healthy environments they can live to be over 100 years old. Dawn Pittman from the USGS, inserted tracking devices into each of the releases in order to track their and progress and spawning migration in the coming years. Sudan Gordon and Neftali Colon Jr., Seneca Zoo Urban Ecologists, have played a role in the raising of the sturgeon and were able to send them off, alongside members of the local community such as Eliecer Angulo, who participated in the release for the first time with his family. Last year, in 2021, after nearly 20 years of conservation work, the USGS identified its first spawning sturgeon – more than 50 years since their disappearance from Lake Ontario . This success marks a major milestone in the recovery efforts. Sturgeon are slow to reproduce, migrating only every 3-5 years after reaching the age of 25. Every year, since the start of the program, approximately 1,000 fry (juvenile sturgeon) have been released. In the coming years, great progress is anticipated in the revitalization of this once nearly extinct species.
Lollypop Farm:
A Day in the Life of Animal Caretaker, Teagan Flora
Teagan Flora manages the care of hundreds of animals that have been left to the Humane Society of Greater Rochester, known as Lollypop Farm. The animals have been left because their owners could no longer keep them for a wide variety of reasons. A horse whose owner served overseas, a pair of cows whose farmer fell ill, and “teacup” piglets who grew beyond the advertised size, these are just some of their stories. Regardless of why they are there, Flora treats them all with love and respect, getting up in the early dawn hours to feed them and clean their pens. She is often tired and left feeling emotionally drained, especially after a new set of animals arrives to the farm after a being seized from a property where they have been mistreated, overbred, and starved such as with the story of nearly all the pigs who now live permanently at the farm. “Nobody wants them, they’ll live here forever” she laments as she performs routine dental care to prevent their tusks from overgrowth. Flora also assists the vet with check ups and procedures so that she stays familiar with their health and treatment plans. She names every animal and has grown quite attached, even when they play rough or try to sneak food from their mates dish. A small team of women assist her with the daily chores. Their bond strengthens with each challenging day.
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Video Stories
Ashes to Ashes
Ash trees in New York and across the US are being decimated by an invasive insect called the Emerald Ash Borer that has destroyed roughly ninety percent of the population. The loss of these trees is not only devastating to the natural environment it also has serious impacts on cultural traditions. This documentary short is a glimpse into what is being lost through the perspectives of an NY-DEC forester, a basket weaver, a traditional lacrosse stick maker, and a baseball bat manufacturer. The concern for the survival of these trees is a shared exerience.
Built to Last: A Couple Spends a Lifetime Building Canoes
The New York Finger Lakes attract paddlers from all over the US. At Hemlock Lake, the Curtis’s have built their business, Canoe Country, crafting custom-built “Hemlock” Canoes for over 50 years.
Appalachian Trail Hikers: A Portrait of Day One
Every year a small exodus begins in North Georgia, as hundreds of backpackers attempt to complete the 2,190 mile Appalachian Trail. This documentary short is a glimpse into what the first day brings.
Often Wondering 