The Bull Trout and His Friends

Linnet Lake in the Spring

The cold waters of mountain streams and lakes make it difficult for plants and many species of fish to survive.

But fish like the Bull trout thrive in these waters, along with their friends bacteria, fungi, planktons, insect larvae, snails, plants, amphibians and some fish.

To survive in the Rocky Mountains streams, species like Bull Trout and Westslope Cutthroat Trout are specially adapted for the COLD. If the waters warm up, they will not survive.

The Bull Trout and his friends are the canaries in the coal mine, for warming temperatures in the ecosystem. The native species of fish and aquatic invertebrates are also very sensitive to invasive species.

An important issue for all the watersheds in the Crown of the Continent is the aquatic health. Many people in the region are working to research the health of the aquatic ecosystems and learn how to keep them healthy.