Alvord cutthroat trout facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Alvord cutthroat trout |
|
|---|---|
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
|
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Salmoniformes |
| Family: | Salmonidae |
| Genus: | Oncorhynchus |
| Species: | |
| Subspecies: |
O. c. alvordensis
|
| Trinomial name | |
| Oncorhynchus clarki alvordensis Behnke, 2002
|
|
The Alvord cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarki alvordensis) was a special type of subspecies of cutthroat trout. It was only found in Trout Creek in Oregon and Virgin Creek in Nevada. This trout is now considered extinct. This means it no longer exists as a pure species. It disappeared because it mixed with rainbow trout that were brought into its home streams. These mixed fish are sometimes called "cutbows."
Contents
Where Did the Alvord Cutthroat Trout Live?
The Alvord cutthroat trout was native to creeks fed by springs. These creeks flowed down to Alvord Dry Lake in southeast Oregon. During the Ice Ages, Alvord Lake was a very large lake. Today, this area is a dry, isolated basin. It is part of the larger Great Basin region.
Why Did the Alvord Cutthroat Trout Disappear?
The Alvord cutthroat trout is one of two types of cutthroat trout that are now considered extinct. This happened because all the known groups of these fish hybridized. This means they bred with rainbow trout. Rainbow trout were introduced into the Alvord basin streams in the 1920s. This mixing created "cutbows," which are not pure Alvord cutthroat trout.
The scientific name for this subspecies was given in 2002. It was named by Robert Behnke. He is a well-known expert on trout and salmon.
The Search for Surviving Alvord Trout
In 2005, Dr. Robert Behnke wrote about a historical record. This record suggested that some Alvord cutthroat trout had been moved. They were moved to a different area next to the Alvord Basin. This move happened before rainbow trout were introduced in 1928. Dr. Behnke wondered if any pure Alvord trout might still exist there.
In 2006, Dr. Behnke worked with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW). They used a method called electrofishing to sample fish in streams. He realized that the stream he had thought about earlier was too high up. It was above the level of ancient lakes from the Pleistocene era. This meant that other types of trout, like redband trout, probably never reached this high-up spot naturally.
Unexpected Discoveries
In the late 1950s and 1960s, the ODFW had put other trout into this stream. They introduced Lahontan cutthroat trout and rainbow trout. So, Dr. Behnke expected to find a mix of different trout. However, he was surprised to find that most of the trout looked like Lahontan cutthroat trout. Some of these fish also looked very much like the "extinct" Alvord cutthroat trout.
In 2007, Dr. Behnke shared his thoughts. He believed there was a strong chance that the trout in this stream were descendants of the early Alvord cutthroat trout. These fish were caught around World War II. A local historian, Mr. Bruce Gilinski, confirmed this. He had seen these trout himself right after the war. Dr. Behnke thought that what was left of the Alvord subspecies might be mixed into the trout found in this small stream today. This stream is right next to the Alvord Basin.
Hopes for the Future
Dr. Behnke strongly suggested that the State of Oregon try to create a new group of trout. These trout would look like the "extinct" Alvord cutthroat trout. He wanted them to move fish that looked most like the Alvord trout. They would be moved to streams that currently have no fish. There, they could reproduce on their own. This would help preserve the unique look (phenotype) of the Alvord cutthroat trout. It might even help preserve their genetic makeup (genotype).
A Plan and Its Challenges
In April 2013, Shannon Hurn, an ODFW Fisheries Biologist, proposed a plan. The plan was to take pairs of Alvord-looking cutthroat trout. These pairs would be moved to the Klamath Hatchery in Oregon. There, they would lay eggs and produce young fish (fry). The young trout would be raised at the hatchery. The goal was to make sure they all looked similar to the Alvord trout. Then, these trout would be moved to a suitable stream without fish. Ideally, this would be in the Alvord Basin itself.
Unfortunately, this plan did not go as hoped. ODFW staff thought the young trout looked like a mix of cutthroat and rainbow trout. This was before the genetic test results were ready. So, the hatchery program was stopped. This decision was made too soon. When the genetic results came back, they showed that only about 3% of the fish's genes were from rainbow trout.
At the same time, southeast Oregon faced several years of extreme drought. This led to more fires along the streams. Some parts of the streams even dried up completely. The hatchery fish could have been put back into the stream to help them survive the drought. Instead, they were released into Willow Valley Reservoir. This reservoir is known for warm-water fish. It is probably not a good home for trout.
