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<br />. <br />;' , <br /> <br />J <br /> <br />'FACT SHEET <br />Colorado squawflsh (Pfychochelfus luclusj <br /> <br />@ l~ C\ L <br /> <br />Status: <br /> <br />Listed as endangered by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 1967; given full protection under the Endangered <br />Species Act of 1973. ' <br />Endangered under Colorado law since 1976. <br />Listed as "protected" in Utah since 1973. <br /> <br />Description: <br /> <br />The Colorado squawfish is a torpedo-shaped fish with an olive-green and gold back and silvery belly. Historically. <br />. Colorado squawfish grew to nearly 6 feet long and more than 80 pounds and may have lived 50 or more years. Early <br />settlers called the fish "white salmon" or "Colorado salmon." Colorado squawfish are thought to have evolved more <br />than 3 million years ago. <br /> <br />Distribution: <br /> <br />Colorado squawfish were once abundant in the mainstem of the Colorado River and most of its major tributaries in <br />Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, New Mexico, Ariwna. Nevada, California and Mexico. <br /> <br />Now, there may be as few as 10,000 adult Colorado squawfish in the wild. They exist primarily in the Green River <br />below the confluence with the Yampa River, the Yampa River below Craig, Colo., the White River from Taylor <br />Draw Dam near Rangely downstream to the confluence with the Green River, and the Colorado River from <br />Palisade, Colo., downstream to Lake Powell. <br /> <br />Spawning: <br /> <br />Colorido sq\lawfish spawn between late June and early September. Colorado squawfish do not spawn unti1 they are <br />6 or more years old and at least 16 inches long. The fish have been known to migrate more than 200 miles to spawn. <br />