How ABQ BioPark is working to save Rio Grande silvery minnows
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Prior to the rain, parts of the Rio Grande had begun drying out. This threatened to strand and kill native fish as temperatures increased and water receded. BioPark biologists worked with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service biologists to rescue fish, including reproductively-ready silvery minnows, from isolated pools.
Those fish were brought to ABQ BioPark's Aquatic Conservation Facility where they successfully spawned. Half of the eggs were hatched, and 30,000 minnows are now growing at ACF. The remaining eggs were sent to the Southwestern Native Aquatic Resources and Recovery Center.
'We're up against the realities of climate change — and this year shows just how important it is to be ready to act under any conditions,' said BioPark Director Brandon Gibson. 'Whether the river is running low or rising fast, we're doing everything we can to support silvery minnow recovery.'
Back in early May, a temporary release of irrigation water mimicking natural spring floods was coordinated – also known as a 'pulse flow.' This pulse alongside the rain sparked a spawning event and 46,000 eggs were collected from the river. 'These fish form the base of the food web and indicate the health of the entire river ecosystem,' the BioPark stated in a news release. 'If lost, far more than a single species is impacted.'
The efforts are part of a long-term recovery program which has seen over 1 million silvery minnows hatches and released.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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