Northern Pike: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Fish and Sharks · day 2 of 7

Five facts

1. The pike is named after an old pointed weapon, the long pole called a pike. Its long, pointed head does look the part.
2. A pike is an ambush hunter. It hangs perfectly still among the weeds for a long time, then shoots forward at astonishing speed.
3. When it bursts forward, the pike bends its body into an S. To brake, it curls into a C shape.
4. It grabs fish sideways in its mouth, holds them with teeth that point backwards, then turns them around to swallow them headfirst.
5. Most pike measure 40 to 55 cm, but the longest ever recorded reached 150 cm.

The quiz

1. What is the pike's English name taken from?

• A kind of fishing net
• A snowy mountain peak
• A long pointed weapon (correct)
• A small wooden boat

It is named after the pike, a long pointed pole-weapon.

2. How does a pike usually hunt?

• It waits perfectly still, then strikes fast (correct)
• It filters tiny food from the water
• It digs prey out of the mud
• It chases prey for hours across the lake

Pike are ambush hunters that keep still, then accelerate suddenly.

3. What shape does a pike curl into to slow down?

• An S
• A C (correct)
• An O
• A Z

It bends into an S to speed off and into a C to brake.

4. How does a pike swallow the fish it catches?

• Tail first, straight away
• Sideways, without turning it
• In lots of small bites
• Headfirst, after turning it around (correct)

It catches prey sideways, then turns it to swallow it headfirst.

5. How long was the longest northern pike ever recorded?

• 30 cm
• 150 cm (correct)
• 70 cm
• 400 cm

Most are 40 to 55 cm, but the record is up to 150 cm.

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