Stoyan Mihov unveils the story of the sturgeons, the Danube’s prehistoric guardians, and the urgent fight to protect them from extinction. Long walks in nature and observation of wild animals - that’s how many imagine the romantic life of an ecologist. But for Stoyan Mihov, the reality looks different: early mornings and long hours at the computer, sifting through piles of documents required for project planning and approval. Fieldwork is rare, and results often take a couple of decades or more to show. Yet Stoyan is lucky to call his passion his job. He's been dedicated to nature conservation since the age of 16 and he holds a degree in ecology. Born in Aytos, he moved to Belene in 2003 for a wetland restoration project and has lived there ever since — on the Danube, where mosquitoes are bigger than sparrows and local fishermen know the river better than any scientist. Since 2008, he’s been part of the WWF Bulgaria team, now leading the “Waters” program focused on protecting and restoring sturgeon populations in the Danube River and the Black Sea. Why does he do it? Simply: because it is needed. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx