For thousands of years, Arizona’s native fishes adapted to life in habitats ranging from small springs to the raging torrents of the Colorado River.  Their ability to adjust to periods of drought and flash floods is truly a marvel of nature and has been the key to their survival.

Unfortunately, native fishes have not done as well adapting to the influences of humans on their environment.  Habitat loss and alteration, and the introduction of non-native fish species have caused sharp declines in many native populations.  With one species already extinct, more than 70 percent listed as Wildlife of Special Concern in Arizona, and over 50 percent federally listed as endangered or threatened, a special and irreplaceable part of Arizona could easily be lost.  The Arizona Game and Fish Department, along with numerous government agencies, conservation organizations, and many members of the public have become stewards of our native fish species, striving to preserve our link to the past so they may serve as our legacy to future generations.

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NOTE: Distribution maps are based on occurrences in the HDMS database and are not meant to be complete or predicted range maps.   Each species has specific criteria that must be met before being entered into the database; therefore the resulting maps reflect only the occurrences that meet the species specific criteria.