The scene looked like a child’s birthday party at the Bonneville Hatchery on Saturday, as dozens of people crowded in front of the Sturgeon Viewing and Interpretive Center’s windows, many of them wearing birthday hats and eating cupcakes. While fish drifted by the glass windows, the crowd sang an enthusiastic rendition of “Happy Birthday” — but not for a child, or a human being at all. The song was dedicated to Herman, the 500-pound white sturgeon floating on the other side of the viewing room’s glass windows.
Although Herman’s exact age is unknown (experts believe he is in his 80s), the Oregon Wildlife Foundation and the Bonneville Hatchery have partnered to hold a birthday party for the enormous fish — the sixth time they have done so.
“It just started as, we’re gonna walk over there at noon and sing ‘Happy Birthday,’” said Hannah Carter, the operations manager of Spruce Gifts & Provisions, which is located at the hatchery but is run by the Oregon Wildlife Foundation. “Now it’s treats and coloring pages and hats and stickers and all sorts of fun stuff, just to make it really special for anyone who happens to be here today.”
Carter described Herman as a local celebrity and said that she thinks that people are drawn to drive dozens of miles to see him because of his dinosaur-like appearance and his massive size.
Tim Greseth, executive director of the Oregon Wildlife Foundation, hopes that Herman’s recognizability spurs people to action.
“Hundreds of thousands of people visit the attraction (the sturgeon center) every year,” he said. “I’m hoping that people being able to see Herman and maybe read some of what’s in the interpretive center hits home for them, to the degree that it changes their behavior or makes them advocates for cleaner water, cooler water, better environments for everybody.”
Greseth added that he believes Herman enjoys the attention he gets from visitors. One of the hatchery’s grounds hosts, Mike Holwald agrees.
“He has a deep personality,” the 75-year-old Holwald said while wearing a birthday hat over a multi-color fedora. “He likes my wife, he doesn’t like me.” Holwald explained that when he walks up to the windows, Herman often swims away. But when his wife and co-host, Sue Holwald, comes to the observation room, Herman will come over and visit her, following her from window to window.
Herman has grown recognizable enough within Oregon that Hood River-based Ferment Brewing even created an IPA (with salmon-safe ingredients) for his birthday called High Five, Herman!
Jenn Peterson, director of operations for Ferment Brewing, attended the birthday party with her husband, Ferment co-founder and brewmaster Dan Peterson. Both of them donned birthday hats for the occasion.
Peterson explained that the couple had the idea to brew a beer for the sturgeon’s birthday after their friend Heather Pola began working for the Oregon Wildlife Foundation three months ago. “We thought it would be a fun way to celebrate with them,” she said. “Their programs are inspiring.”
Back in the viewing area, a new generation of visitors was meeting Herman. One of them was 9-year-old Nyla Donoso of Portland, who was visiting the hatchery with her father for the first time. Of all the fish, she said Herman was her favorite — and she was shocked to learn his age.
“That’s really cool he can live that long,” she said.
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