Biologists help fish flee fire

[Judi Lynn]

June 11, 2009
Biologists help fish flee fire

ALBUQUERQUE (New Mexico) - AS A lightning-sparked fire charred thousands of acres in south-western New Mexico, biologists and firefighters used helicopters and trucks for an unusual evacuation.

They captured 250 Gila trout - a threatened species - from a creek in south-western New Mexico and are moving them to a hatchery in the opposite corner of the state.

Ranger Al Koss of the Wilderness Ranger District said Wednesday was a perfect time to move the fish because the fire's intensity had diminished and the flames were still a couple of miles from the South Diamond Creek.

'It is a unique situation, and it's actually kind of exciting that we have this opportunity to do it,' Mr Koss said. 'We feel that being ahead of the game is much better than being behind the curve and trying to rush and put the firefighters and the biologists and the fish in jeopardy.'

Biologists rode to the creek on horseback, then used electro-shocking devices to temporarily stun the trout so they could quickly scoop them into a net.

More:
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Tech%2Band%2BScience/Story/STIStory_388911.html

[MercutioATC]

1. "Here! Get into the water!"

erm....never mind...

[Fotoware58]

2. Amazing...

that they didn't first have to do an EIS and get peer reviews to study the effects first, eh?