According to U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, seventy-four of the threatened or endangered species that are in the United States are found in Arizona. Many are creatures that are generally dismissed by humans because they feel common and thus inconsequential. One of the animals that fits into this collection is the Gila trout.
There are five primary genetic lines of Gila trout: Main Diamond, Spruce Creek, Iron Creek, South Diamond, and Whiskey Creek. They inhabit the states of New Mexico and Arizona in high elevation perennial streams. They are indigenous to the Agua Fria, the Verde, the Tonto Creek, the Upper Gila, and the San Francisco Rivers. Due to conservation efforts, they have been introduced to new streams as well.
Gila trout are necessary for their environment because they are an indicator species that warn us if something is not right in the ecosystem. They are also a useful source of food for other animals, so if the population of Gila trout becomes extinct other animals may struggle to thrive.
Gila trout were placed onto the endangered species list in 1966. Spruce Creek is the genetic line that is the most threatened. This is the result of habitat destruction mainly due to wildfires. Wildfires burn vegetation and leave ash as well as sediment in rivers, rerouting them and removing oxygen, causing death to species that get oxygen from the water. Another issue is that Gila trout breed with other trout species that are not native to their habitat, for example cutthroat and rainbow trout, changing genetic lines.
Thanks to habitat restoration done by Arizona, New Mexico, and Federal Agencies, Gila trout are not endangered anymore. They have been relisted as threatened, which means they are not out of the woods, but that their status has improved. Gila trout are an important species and deserve to be preserved, so we need to continue to protect their habitat.
One Small Thing -- One small thing that you can do to protect Gila trout, and other species, is to quit using disposable straws. When you throw them away, guess where they end up? They end up in waterways and across the desert. Sip directly from the cup or use reusable straws instead. One small change x many people = substantial change.
Learn more about Gila trout here.
Thank you to Alex White, age 15, future Wildlife Conservationist, for contributing this piece. | 
