Three species of pupfish once flourished in clear springs of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, where they are endemic. The Potosi pupfish, La Palma pupfish and Charco Palma pupfish all suffered total habitat loss in their native range. Today, the pupfish reside exclusively in zoos outside of Mexico, with global populations of just a few hundred individuals. All three species of pupfish are listed as Extinct in the Wild on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Major threats facing pupfish include habitat loss, pollution, water extraction and invasive predators.
If awarded $1 million from the Indianapolis Zoo’s Saving Species Challenge, conservationists would take the following steps:
- Train Mexican institutions in pupfish care
- Establish ex situ populations in Mexico
- Evaluate possible release locations
- Restore or create habitat in cooperation with local communities
- Release fish and perform ongoing monitoring
You can learn more about pupfish from the IUCN SSC Freshwater Fish Specialist Group.
The winner of the Indianapolis Zoo’s Saving Species Challenge will be announced later this year. Bookmark www.ProtectSpecies.com for updates.
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