OURAY, Colo. (KOAA) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife crews continue to work to protect our state's natural resources as fires burn across Colorado.
Recently, CPW shared news of a joint operation to save a native cutthroat trout species with unique genetics threatened by the Gold Mountain Fire.
The Gold Mountain Fire continues to burn near Ouray, Colorado. It has burned 38,052 acres and is 27% contained as of this article's publication, and it started on June 27.
As the fire continued to burn, there were concerns that it would burn the areas and the creek feeders around the Uncompahgre River, habitat of the native Uncompahgre cutthroat trout (Greenback cutthroat trout).
Learn more about the rescue operation in the video player below
On July 15, after weeks of the fire burning, CPW staff were offered a window of opportunity to get a fire escort into Nate Creek to attempt to save some of the native fish species in the area.
During that operation, a team led by CPW Aquatic Biologist Eric Gardunio and 10 CPW staff secured 103 trout for transport to a state hatchery for safety.
“These beautiful fish represent a living part of the history of this place,” Gardunio said. “They also fill a unique role in the function of the ecosystems they inhabit. Currently, CPW is trying to restore them to many of the streams where they have been lost. They are resilient and have persisted in harsh environments for thousands of years, and they can flourish again if we give them a chance.”
After the rescue of the fish through the use of carrying 5-gallon buckets of water and fish through burn scars and out of the creek and canyon, before wind direction sent the fire in their direction.
According to CPW, the Nate Creek tributary is a particularly important habitat for CPW to monitor, as in 2007, a population of the Uncompahgre Cutthroat trout was discovered in the creek. The Uncompahgre Cutthroat Trout is a Colorado River Cutthroat trout have unique genetics, leading biologists to identify them as their own thing.
One of the challenging things for CPW was locating a spot for these fish to stay, as other hatcheries like the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Leadville and Hotchkiss national fisheries have also been evacuated due to the Willow Fire.
The fish, once loaded into the transportation truck, were taken on a 160-mile journey to the Rifle Falls Fish Hatchery, where an isolation space could be provided. When CPW moves fish, they ensure populations are put in isolation to minimize the risk of spreading diseases.
For more information about CPW's efforts and this joint operation, click here. To learn more about Colorado's Cutthroat Trout, click here.
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