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subspecies-the Col- orado River roundtail chub. While both rivers are somewhat similar in habitat and water quality, the Col- orado River roundtail is thriv- ing while the Virgin River round tail is now and may always have been rare. Adults of the Virgin River roundtaiI reach only 20 cm (8 in) in length); however, so few fish have been found that little is known of their life history. They are now found only in . the lower portions of the Virgin River in Utah. The least chub, well na~ed since it seldom exceeds 6 cm (2Vl in) in length, is the last of Utah's rare fish. Once com- mon in Utah's Great Basin, the Bonneville Basin, it is now restricted to the Snake Valley in west central Utah. Here in isolated springs and marshes, some no larger than a bath tub, are the few remaining populations of the least chub. The chub is a natural predator of mosquito larvae, but unlike the well known mosquito fish, the chub can tolerate broad ranges of water quality condi- tions, especially of temperature. The males become brightly colored dur- ing the spring spawning season and have gold and red stripes. Competition from introduced species, use of water for irriga- tion, and geothermal explora- tion of the we$t desert may all be contributing to the decline of the least chub. Conservation Measures What is being done to con- serve and enhance rare animals in general and Utah's rare fish in particular? Plenty! The first and foremost tool is the Endangered Species Act of 1973, possibly the most impor- tant animal protection bill ever enacted. However, the birth of this strong legislation took a long time. In the late 1800s, when Powell was still serving as the first director of the US Geological Survey, the nation's interest in vanishing species was sparked by the demise of the buffalo. Conservation legislation was enacted, but it took over half a century for a law, the En- dangered Species Preservation Act of 1966, to be passed which specifically protected endangered animals. This act called for an official list of "endangered" species and provided some monies to help conserve them. Three years later, the Endangered Species Conservation Act of 1969 furthered the cause by ex- panding the protection of en- dangered species international- ly by prohibiting the importa- tion of rare animals into the United States. Four years later, the 1973 Act provided "a means whereby the ecosystems upon which endangered species depend may be con- served, protected, and restored." All federal agencies are charged with the responsibility of carrying out provisions of the Act. The US Fish and Wildlife Service, which has an area office in Salt Lake City and a regional office in Denver, is the lead agency in this effort. Section Six of the Act outlines criteria by which state laws to protect en- dangered species are judged. If state laws are suitable, the sta te qualifies for federal funds to aid in the conserva- tion effort. Utah's statutes have met all the requirements of Section Six. The Utah Divi- sion of Wildlife Resources has a Nonga:ne Section l"....hich con~ ducts research and surveys on nongame animals and coor- dinates Utah's efforts to con- serve rare fishes. In addition, research on rare fish and wildlife is going on at various universities through- out the West. At Utah State University, The Utah Cooper- ative Fishery Research Unit in the College of Natural Resources has been studying the .biology of the rare Col- orado fishes for nearly 17 years. The staff and students' have floated. many miles of river and netted thousands of fish in an effort to learn more about these species. And their: efforts have been successful.' Unit personnel have published about two dozen articles on the distribution, biology, and habitat requirements of the Colorado fish. Elsewhere in the College, in- vestigations on the least chub have been going on. This type of information is what all who are concerned with conserva- tion of rare fish and wildlife are seeking because the distribution, abundance, and habitat of rare fish must be understood and considered in the formation of landuse plans and watershed developments. Perhaps this conservation ef- fort will be successful and the populations of squawfish, razorbacks, and other rare fish can recover to levels similar to those found by Powell, Ashley, and other early ex- plorers and pioneers. Cllarles R. Berry, lr.. Assistant Leader in rile Cooperative Fisl,eries Unit at USU. is especially ill/eresled in tile biology of nOl/game fisk improl1itlg rrcreatiOlJal fishirrg, ami effects of lIabitat alteration OM fisll(!ry resources. The Cooperative Unit is jointly sllpported by tile US Fisll and Wildlife Service. Utah Division of Wildlife Resollrces. al/d Utal, State U"il.lersity. 2S April 1979