Mora National Fish Hatchery and Technology Center facts for kids

The Mora National Fish Hatchery and Technology Center is a special place in Mora County, New Mexico. It is one of only seven federal fish hatcheries like it in the United States. This center helps protect and bring back endangered fish.

Its main job is to save the Gila trout. This unique fish lives only in the Gila River in New Mexico and Arizona. The hatchery also helps other fish, like the Rio Grande cutthroat trout and the bonytail chub. They even train other experts how to care for fish. You can also volunteer to help with their important work.

Saving the Gila Trout

Scientists at the Mora hatchery work hard to protect the Gila trout. They keep special groups of these fish, called "brood stock." These fish are important for making more Gila trout babies.

Keeping Fish Wild

The hatchery keeps the Gila trout in tanks that look like their natural home. These tanks have wood, flowing water, and other fish that live with Gila trout in the wild. This includes fish like the desert sucker and Sonoran sucker. By making their home feel natural, the baby fish grow up strong. This helps them survive when they are released into rivers.

Protecting Fish from Sickness

The hatchery has strict rules to stop diseases from spreading. This is very important for rare fish like the Gila trout. They are careful with fish brought in from the wild or other hatcheries. One sickness they especially watch out for is called whirling disease.

Smart Water System

In the year 2000, the Mora fish hatchery added a very cool system. It is a special water recirculation system. This system lets the hatchery reuse almost all of its water, up to 95 percent! This helps save a lot of water and is good for the environment.