FISHING A curious captive-raised Devils Hole pupfish at the Ash Meadows Fish Conservation Facility. In April, scientists counted 175 pupfish in their Nevada home, the most of this critically endangered species observed in a spring count in 22 years. (OLIN FEUERBACHER/USFWS)
SAVING AN ENDANGERED FISH IN THE DESERT By John Heil
F
or more than 50 years, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, Nevada Department of Wildlife and their partners have used scuba and surface monitoring for Devils Hole pupfish, and it appears conservation and recovery efforts are paying off.
This past April, scientists counted 175 pupfish, the most observed of this critically endangered species in a spring count in 22 years. Fall counts are typically higher due to greater food resources as a result of more sunlight throughout the summer months. Brandon Senger, supervisory fisheries biologist for NDOW, scubacounted the “surprising” number of
young fish below the surface with other biologists, noting that the fish appeared to be in “both remarkable condition and very active.”
SMALL FISH, EVEN SMALLER RANGE Devils Hole pupfish (Cyprinodon diabolis) live in the upper 80 feet of a deep water-filled cavern and sun-lit shallow pool at the cavern’s entrance,
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