The Great Lake Guardians
By Jamila Shin
A colored pencil piece highlighting the role of Lake Sturgeon in the environment and how humans rely on their presence in order to maintain order in their natural habitats.
The Great Lake Guardians shows two Lake Sturgeon in their natural environment with their prey, an invasive species known as Round Goby, with a diver observing them through a camera lens. The piece is intended to exemplify one of the many ways in which Lake Sturgeon are important to the environment, and that is their diet consisting of invasive species. Regulating an invasive population is crucial to maintaining the ecosystem and its population of native species since invasive species can often outcompete them, causing a native species to become endangered. Despite being known as a prehistoric fish and an important species, Lake Sturgeon are still endangered and lack proper protection. The piece highlights one of the many reasons why human beings should prioritize conservation and nature.