ABQ BioPark Faces Funding Cut for Endangered Silvery Minnow Conservation Program
The ABQ BioPark's Aquatic Conservation Facility (ACF) in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has experienced a significant reduction in annual federal support, losing approximately $150,000 for its Rio Grande silvery minnow conservation program. This cut limits the number of fish the team can raise and reduces funds available for equipment replacement and unexpected operational issues. The silvery minnow, a federally endangered species, plays a critical role in maintaining the Rio Grande ecosystem, as its protected status helps preserve water in the river, benefiting the cottonwood bosque, wetlands, farms, and communities. The conservation team, in collaboration with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, recently released about 34,900 silvery minnows into the Rio Grande, with an additional 5,000 scheduled for release by year-end, efforts made more crucial by the severe dry conditions experienced in the river this summer. Patrick Horley, curator of the ACF, emphasized that the fish do not compete for water but rather he...
