Colorado's State Symbols: The State Fish

Colorado’s state fish is the Greenback Cutthroat Trout, Oncorhynchus clarki somias.  Colorado’s waters are filled with many kinds of trout, such as Rainbow Trout and Brook Trout; however, the Greenback Cutthroat is special because by the late 20th century it was on the brink of extinction.  Then, in the 1990s, scientists discovered a few small populations of the fish in Rocky Mountain National Park and were able to protect it and reintroduce it to other parts of the state.  You can find out more about the story of the state fish in the video Incredible Journey of the Greenback Cutthroats, available in both DVD and videocassette from our library.  Also, be sure to check out Life-History and Ecology of the Greenback Cutthroat Trout; Greenback Cutthroat Trout Restoration; and Greenback Cutthroat Trout Recovery Project Progress Report, all available from our library.  See also the Colorado Division of Wildlife’s species profile