Asian carp at Shedd’s Aquarium. Photo: Shedd’s Aquarium.
The invasive Asian carp is once again in Chicago waters — this time safely behind glass at the city’s Shedd Aquarium.
Shedd executives thought it would be a good idea to make an example of three large carp discovered in the city’s Humboldt Park Lagoon Oct. 9.
Experts believe the carp may negatively affect the Great Lakes’ $7 billion fishing industry if it enters the basin, according to the National Park Service.
“Thanks to the incredible efforts of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, these three Asian carp have been removed from our urban habitats and will now serve as educational ambassadors to Shedd’s 2.1 million annual guests about the immediate need to protect our local waters,” Roger Germann, executive vice president of Shedd’s Great Lakes and Sustainability program said in a press release.
One of the monsters weighs 62 pounds and is nearly four feet long, according to the aquarium’s Twitter account, @Shedd_GL.
Officials aren’t sure how the fish ended up in the lagoon, but things like improper disposal of baitfish can introduce them.