After a drought in Tennessee created dangerous conditions for an endangered fish species, officials decided it was time to intervene.
In August, News Channel 9 reported that the Tennessee Aquarium partnered with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the University of Georgia's River Basin Center — with an assist from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency — to rescue 105 adult Laurel Dace from Chattanooga-area Walden Ridge and temporarily relocate them to the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute.
While removing federally endangered species like the Laurel Dace is generally illegal, officials determined that the fishes' native streams were too degraded, putting them in danger.
"What really weighed heavily on us was knowing that, given how critically endangered the Laurel Dace is, inaction could have led to the permanent extinction of this species," Dr. Anna George, Tennessee Aquarium's vice president of conservation science and education, told News Channel 9, comparing the delicate situation to the care of a patient in the ICU.
According to the report, stress is one of the reasons that relocation is frowned upon, with the risk of injury or human error also among the concerns. However, as Tennessee Aquarium recovery biologist Abbey Holsopple explained to News Channel 9, the drought had created dire conditions for the Laurel Dace.
"The fish in the stream can get trapped into these pools with nowhere to go. Imagine if you were at a concert and you're surrounded by people on every side of you. You're rubbing up against each other. It's hot; it's uncomfortable," Holsopple said, highlighting that the tight, practically suffocating quarters can also increase the risk of disease.
Fortunately, for the Laurel Dace — one of North America's 10 most at-risk fish species — the rescue operation appears to have been a success. Only one fish died during relocation, and the others are flourishing in their temporary home.
The timeline for their return to their native Walden Ridge streams is pending, as scientists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service are still monitoring the waterways.
According to the National Integrated Drought Information System, Tennessee just experienced its second-driest August on record since tracking began in 1895. Conditions like these are expected to increase in the southeast United States due to higher temperatures — part of a global warming trend brought on by human activities, like the burning of dirty fuels.
For now, the Laurel Dace are enjoying foster care, with the team confident it made the right decision. Researchers hope to return them to the wild as soon as possible.
"As soon as we stepped out of the vans at the site, I had no doubt that what we were doing was absolutely necessary and in the best interest of the fish," UGA graduate student Christian Swartzbaugh said in a report from the aquarium. "They were clearly in a very perilous situation."
"While the first best place for a Laurel Dace would be in a healthy creek, the second-best place would be under the care of our propagation staff at TNACI," Swartzbaugh added.
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