Durango Fish Hatchery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Durango Fish Hatchery |
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| General information | |
| Address | 151 East 16th Street |
| Town or city | Durango, Colorado |
| Coordinates | 37°16′53″N 107°52′31″W / 37.281390°N 107.875261°W |
| Inaugurated | 1903 |
The Durango Fish Hatchery is a special place in Durango, Colorado, where fish are raised. It's run by Colorado Parks and Wildlife and is located close to the Animas River. This hatchery focuses on raising fish that like cold water.
The staff at the hatchery raise several types of fish. These include rainbow trout, brown trout, Snake River cutthroat trout, and other native cutthroat trout. They also raise kokanee salmon.
A Look Back: Hatchery History
The Durango Fish Hatchery first opened its doors in 1903. This makes it a very old and important place! It was built in a similar way to an older hatchery in Denver, using strong materials like steel and concrete. The Durango Fish Hatchery is actually the oldest fish hatchery owned by the state of Colorado.
Visiting the Hatchery
The Durango Fish Hatchery is a fun place to visit! It has a wildlife museum run by helpful volunteers. Inside the museum, you can see displays of fish and other animals. There are also hands-on exhibits where you can learn by doing.
You can take tours of the hatchery, either by yourself or with a volunteer guide. One of the most popular activities is using the 'Feed the Fish' dispensers. You can watch the fish swim around and eat the food you give them! The hatchery also shows videos that explain how they raise the fish.
Fish Species Raised
The hatchery plays a big part in keeping Colorado's waters full of fish. Each year, they raise and release about 150,000 rainbow trout that are big enough for people to catch. They also release about 1.3 million smaller fish. These fish are released into rivers and lakes in the southwest part of Colorado.
