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Comnwn questions about endangered fish of the Colorado River (Editor's note: This and "o' " also means the loss of its upcoming issues of the", " unique genetic material and n,ewsletter will feature _ ".'~ .. '.-Co" any medical. industrial and questions often asked about agricultural benefits that f[~f~~~~ ~!ij;iit~il~v~;t,r~t ~~~~~~ Why should anyone care ,.':, the world. In fact, the about saving endangered .. .. :.:, -, .. .. _ .__",' 1- Colorado squawfish and fish? . - .,._~ ""'--~' ~,'": razorback sucker evolved The reasons for saving :'_ " .. ~,;.' -9:1 : :' '-.' more thMand3 million y~ars :y.' ,',', ago. 0 em man as these fish range from . J). .. - . ":'. existed only about 100,000 environmental and recrea- ' ':. '. .t' _',_ {C", ~~::_:",:, : " , " , , ~:'" "':,' to 250,000 years. tional to legal. Environmental reasons The decline of the Colorado squaw fish, humpback chub, bony tail chub and razorback sucker indicates the natural river environment has been drastically changed. The endangered status of these fish in the Colorado River system mirrors an increasing trend in the extinction rates of native fish in North America According to an American Fisheries Society bulletin, human impact has caused 40 species and subspecies of fish in North America to become extinct this century; 19 of these have disappeared since 1964. Conservation organi- zations estim ate that every day, at least one species in the world becomes extinct. And the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lists more than 350 animals and more than 230 plants as endangered or threatened in the United States; there are another 3.700 plant and animal species being studied for possible listing. Like the coal miner's canary, whose death forewarns workers of toxic ,:; .,", '". . '.:. : ~ Colorado Division or Wildlil. ENDANGERED FISH: (From top) bonytall chub, hump- back chub, Colorado squawllsh and razorback sucker. gases underground, the decline of the native fish is an early warning system for the river habitat. If the "weakest link" in this ecosystem can be saved. the environment may be preserved as well. Sport-fishing Saving the fish may also provide recreational benefits through trophy sport-fishing. Colorado squawfish. North America's largest minnow. once grew to more than 6 feet long and reached weights of up to 80 pounds. The Colorado River's top predator until the early 1900s. Colorado squawfish have been known to eat mice, birds, even prairie dogs. ' Also, this fish was called "white salmon" and "Colorado salmon" by early settlers, who valued it as a food and sport fish. If the fish can be recovered, tomorrow's anglers may gain the opportunity to reel in squawfish weighing 15 to 20 pounds. Ecosystem balance, scientific benefits Scientific research has shown that each species in an ecosystem has a unique purpose. Losing one species can cause a chain reaction affecting a series of other species. The loss of a species 4 Legal basis The endangered fish are also protected by state and federal laws. The federal Endangered Species Act of 1973 states that endangered and threatened species of fish. wildlife and plants "are of esthetic. ecological, edu- cational, historical, recrea- tional and scientific value to the nation and its people:' In passing this act, Congress was reflecting the belief that endangered species should be saved wherever possible:-- Philosophical reasons As Aldo Leopold, one of the founders of the conservation movement, said, "...Quit thinking about decem land-use as solely an economic problem...The last word in ignorance is the man who says of an animal or plant: 'What good is it?' If rhe land mechanism as a whole is good. then every part is good, whether'we understand it or not...To keep every cog and wheel is the first precaution of intelligent tinkering..... (From "A Sand County Almanac" and "Round River.")