Bridger-Teton National Forest
Annual Movements of Cutthroat Trout in Headwater Tributaries
PROJECT NUMBER 2003-0208-009
NFWF & JHOF Partnership: $16,800
Local Match: $22,300
The Bridger-Teton National Forest is located in Western Wyoming and is
more than 3.4 million acres. The area contains pristine watersheds,
abundant wildlife and immense wildlands. The Bridger-Teton has three
nationally dedicated wilderness areas, which include the Bridger
Wilderness, the Gros Ventre Wilderness and the Teton Wilderness. These
areas comprise a large part of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem that is
the largest intact ecosystem in the lower 48 United States.
The Jackson Hole One Fly Foundation - National Fish and Wildlife
Foundation Conservation Partnership Program is providing funding to
continue their efforts to document the geographic range of movement and
behavior of cutthroat trout by monitoring the radio-transmitters that
were implanted in fish from June 2004 through June 2005. They will
investigate life history characteristics of Yellowstone cutthroat trout
and Snake River cutthroat trout populations in the Snake River
headwaters, and compare results of geographic subdivision by examining
genetic markers with actual fish mobility data. Identifying distinct
populations of the native cutthroat trout through consistent monitoring
has been critical to the conservation and management of these species.
By continuing to conduct this trout movement project, the genetic
analyses and the subsequent geographic subdivision of the species can be
determined, and will enable land and resource management agencies to
modify their management plans and practices to protect these
populations. This is the first application of these techniques in the
Snake River headwaters. While the results of the sampling will have
local significance, the design may be useful at the regional scale.
Project Status:
This project was just approved and the grantees have just received their
contracts. Implementation of the project will begin shortly.
For more information email Mark Novak at
manovak@fs.fed.us.
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