Wear and tear on boot soles and a helicopter'that's what it took to get 1,033 Gila trout safely placed in the remote headwaters of Mineral Creek, well inside the Gila National Forest of southwestern New Mexico.On November 18, 2016, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) working with its partner agencies, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish and the Gila National Forest, released two age classes of Gila trout into Mineral Creek ranging up to a foot long. The rare yellow trout were spawned in captivity in early 2015 and 2016 at the Service's Mora National Fish Hatchery. Videography Credit Craig Springer/USFWS.
See photos below the video.
All photos by Craig Springer USFWS
Gila trout brought in by helicopter to stock Mineral Creek
Gila trout flown in by helicopter to stock Mineral Creek
Andy Dean of the New Mexico Fish and Wildlife Conservation Office holds a Gila trout to put into Mineral Creek
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Gila trout flown in by helicopter to stock Mineral Creek
Dean readies an aerated helitank for pickup by helicopter.
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Gila trout flown in by helicopter to stock Mineral Creek
Gila trout stocked in Mineral Creek in the Gila National Foresthttp://www.grantcountybeat.com/images/2016newsitems/2FrontPageNews/USFWSgilatrout/Gila-trout.jpg
Gila trout flown in by helicopter to stock Mineral Creek
Gila trout arrive at the treetops over Mineral Creek Gila National Forest in an aerated helitank.
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Gila trout flown in by helicopter to stock Mineral Creek
New Mexico Department of Game and Fish Gila trout biologist Jill Wick loads Gila trout for dispersal in Mineral Creek from helitank
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