Pike

• It is an extremely effective ambush predator thanks to its explosive acceleration.
• Fewer than 5% of newly hatched fry survive, largely through cannibalism among the young.
• Its distribution is circumpolar across the northern hemisphere.
• comportamientoIt is an ambush predator that can hold completely still for long spells, hidden among water plants, before striking in one explosive movement.

Skeleton type

Vertebrate - bony skeleton (fish)

Habitat & environment

Lakes, slow-flowing rivers and heavily vegetated water across the northern hemisphere (circumpolar)

Birth weight

Tiny on hatching, staying still and clinging to vegetation for the first few days

Size at birth

Tiny on hatching, clinging to water plants for its first few days

Sexual maturity

Male: 2-3 years | Female: 3-4 years

Gestation / incubation

10-14 days of egg development (up to 30 days in colder water)

Litter / clutch size

Up to 75,000 to 500,000 eggs in a large female

Lifespan in captivity

Typically 7-10 years in captivity

Sources consulted: Animal Diversity Web; Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game; FishBase; Orvis News; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Michigan DNR; U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service; BioKIDS; Illinois DNR

Best time: From March to May, during spawning, when it moves into shallow flooded areas with vegetation.