Gila Trout

The Gila trout is native to a small area of west central New Mexico and an adjoining area of Arizona in the White Mountains. It is a cousin of the Apache Trout. Early settlers referred to these trout as "yellow bellies" due their coloration. The US Geographical Survey collected specimens of the Apache trout in 1873 and referred to it as as Colorado River cutthroat trout. The Apache trout have fewer, larger spots than the Gila trout.

By 1967, when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serivce listed the Gila trout as endangered, the trouts range had been reduced from several hundred miles of stream to about 20 miles in the Gila Wilderness and Aldo Leopold Wilderness, both in New Mexico. This resulted from loss of habitat, over fishing (in spite of being closed to fishing in the 1950s) and cross breeding and predation by non-native trout. The loss of habit is attributed to cattle grazing, agricultural practices and fires resulting from human activity.

Following the trout being listed as endangered, USFWS began a program of stream restoration, removing non-native trout, restoring and repairing riparian vegetation, and restocking restored streams. However, the Center for Biological Diversity
filed a 60 day notice of intent to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service due to a wholly inadequate Gila Trout Recovery Plan: "The plan completely ignores the effects of grazing on trout habitat. It only provides for down-listing,not de-listing of the species. And finally, the plan focuses on reintroducing Gila Trout to individual headwater streams, whereas the great weight of evidence indicates that only protection of entire watersheds will guarantee continued existence of the Gila Trout."

The species is now more secure than it was in the 1970s, having been moved to 10 new streams, though populations and habitat are still far below those originally established. A limited fishing season has been established in the Gila Wilderness.