During the last couple of years, Pima County has revived a stretch of the once-dry Santa Cruz River.
The revival continues with the return of a native fish.
The Santa Cruz has seen a revival of birds and other kinds of wildlife since it started to flow, including the endangered Gila topminnow.
But the longfin dace was missing. Though not endangered, it is a native to the river and part of a long-term plan to increase biodiversity.
The fish, which rarely exceeds 2 inches, is found in Arizona, New Mexico and parts of western Mexico.
It’s being reintroduced to the lower Santa Cruz River this week as part of a collaboration between Pima County, Arizona Game & Fish, the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the University of Arizona.
