In 2005 we finally re-discovered trout in the Río Conchos basin. Various lines of evidence had long indicated it had to be there, long forgotten by science. The history of our search for it is explained in our 2003 paper and in some presentations we've made since then. Our preliminary analyses indicated it to be a relative of the trout that inhabits the southern parts of the Río Yaqui and the Río Mayo basins. It is definitely not the Río Grande cutthroat-like trout we originally expected, so maybe that one is still out there somewhere.

In March 2006 we found that the population discovered in 2005 was probably not viable, but we managed to find another population that is potentially viable, or that at least might be relatively easily protected and managed. Having now expended considerable effort looking for this trout over several years, and having now tried to collect it in many places where locals tell us it used to be found until recently, we conclude that future work is unlikely to find more than a few (if any) additional healthy populations of this species. We must therefore consider the species to be critically endangered and so, extremely concerned about its conservation status, we distributed a "white paper" on the Conchos trout and its conservation status immediately after our 2006 field effort. Read the details in the white paper, which ends with a plea for help, both in-kind and financial, and provides information on how anyone can contribute to our new fund for conservation management of the new population discovered in 2006. The Truchas Mexicanas team is offering everything it can muster to help the cause, but we realize that we alone may not be able to accomplish what must be accomplished in time to save this species. We have recently been joined by a number of new, very capable collaborators and sponsors, but no matter who helps, we will always need basic funding for everything ranging from travel to building supplies and perhaps even land purchase, not to mention experienced help to implement projects such as this in harmony with the local political and social environment. THANK YOU FOR WHATEVER HELP YOU CAN OFFER!

comments and general inquiries to Dean Hendrickson (deanhend_at_mail.utexas.edu)