Originally published on WINK News by Bridget Bruchalski on March 24, 2026
A rare sawfish nursery in the Caloosahatchee River faces mounting threats from development and rising sea levels.
Joe Cavanaugh, Calusa Waterkeeper, took WINK News to one of only two known sawfish pupping areas in the river. The shallow, mangrove-fringed waters provide critical protection for young sawfish during their first years of life.
“The river is suffering death by 1,000 cuts, but if you look at a pupping area, you could say that’s worth about 500 cuts right there,” Cavanaugh said.
The location’s shallow depth keeps predators away. Bull sharks cannot navigate the waters to attack the vulnerable sawfish.
“This particular spot where we’re standing and all the way up through the creek is too shallow for big bull sharks to come in and try to attack the sawfish,” Cavanaugh said. “This is where they hang out.”
Young sawfish use the river as a nursery for the first five or six years of their lives. The habitat provides essential shelter during their most vulnerable developmental stage.
“This is a critical habitat,” Cavanaugh said. “This is a pupping area, and there’s only really two known pupping areas in this river.”
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