By Brynn Morey
I will never forget the first time I observed a sawfish. I was camping in the Keys, long before I called this place home.
We took a boat out in the evening; the water was crystal clear. Suddenly, this large, magnificent creature swam up to the boat. I honestly could not believe my eyes. Growing up in a small Indiana town I had never seen anything like it before. It moved with such grace and its appearance was straight out of a science fiction movie. How could this creature be real? Every detail on it was so interesting and unique. I felt like I had just spotted a unicorn. It was truly an experience I will never forget.
Flash forward to life today. I’ve been living in the Keys for more than 15 years and know quite a bit about this amazing creature. The same creature that has been receiving press lately due to its mysteriously rapid decline. This had me thinking about how many people know about the sawfish – its history, struggles, unique beauty and importance in our ecosystem.
Keys residents are saddened reading articles on sawfish or seeing social media posts on their current situation. I believe it’s important to fully appreciate this awesome creature and what we stand to lose if the sawfish were to disappear. This can help create compassion and true action to save this beautiful species.
Sawfish belong to the same group of fish as sharks, rays and skates. Fossil records suggest that sawfish ancestors date back over 100 million years. Over time, sawfish evolved their distinctive elongated rostrums lined with teeth. This adaptation developed as a hunting tool, allowing sawfish to slash through schools of fish or dig into the substrate to uncover prey.
Sawfish have held cultural significance in various human societies throughout history. In some indigenous cultures, sawfish were viewed as sacred animals, while in others, their rostrums were used for ceremonial purposes or as tools. Sawfish are also featured in the folklore of certain cultures. In recent centuries, sawfish populations have declined significantly due to human activities such as habitat destruction, overfishing and accidental bycatch in fishing gear.
Sawfish are typically found in shallow coastal waters, estuaries and subtropical regions. They prefer habitats with soft bottoms like sand where they can partially bury themselves. The females give live birth. Sawfish primarily feed on fish, crustaceans and mollusks. These amazing creatures have small pores on their saw-like rostrums that can detect electrical fields of prey. Sawfish can grow to over 25 feet. Their size makes them apex predators in their ecosystems.
Sawfish play important ecological roles in their habitats, and their presence contributes to the overall health and balance of marine ecosystems. By preying on a variety of fish, crustaceans and mollusks, sawfish help control the populations of these species. This prevents species from becoming overly dominant and helps maintain biodiversity within the ecosystem. Sawfish enhance habitats through foraging activities. Their digging behavior can help aerate and churn sediments, benefiting other organisms living in the substrate. When sawfish consume prey, they excrete waste that contributes to nutrient cycling. This helps replenish nutrients in the water and sediment, which is essential for supporting the growth of algae and other primary producers.
Overall, the long history of sawfish is a complex story of adaptation, exploitation and conservation. Facing and overcoming significant challenges, they play a multifaceted role in our ecosystem. The sawfish is federally listed as endangered and protecting them will have a positive ripple effect benefiting countless other species and ecosystems.
