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32 <br />A bleak picture has been painted, but there may be some hope for the <br />desert pupfish because in August of this year, we found a sizeable pop- <br />ulation in San Felipe Creek, a tributary to the Salton Sea. Even though <br />there are several exotic species of fish present in the creek, they are <br />relatively low in numbers. A survey was conducted in November of this <br />year of a four-mile section of the creek and showed that pupfish made up <br />68% of the total catch, sailfin mollies 28%, mosquito fish, Gambusia <br />affinis 3%, and shortfin mollies 1%. Land ownership in San Felipe Creek <br />is two-thirds Bureau of Land Management land and one-third private land. <br />Efforts will be made to purchase the re4paining private land, especially <br />since there is a possible threat of wells being drilled for irrigation <br />in proximity to the creek. This could seriously affect the three springs <br />that provide water to the creek and its associated marsh. <br />Due to these threats to the future existence of the desert pupfish at the <br />Salton Sea, Fish and Game and State Park personnel established a second <br />desert pupfish refugium pond within Anza-Borrego State Park at Palm <br />Spring. Forty-five adult desert pupfish were placed in the refugium in <br />May of this year and when checked in October the pond had numerous <br />juvenile pupfish. <br />The Department of Fish and Game believes that artificial refugia are <br />not the solution to the plight of the desert pupfish at the Salton Sea, <br />but only a temporary measure. The answer lies in being able to ensure <br />their survival within naturally occurring desert spring environments <br />and San Felipe Creek may be the desert pupfish's last chance.