22 January 2001

VANCOUVER, BC - An increasing risk of genetic extermination of pure indigenous Westslope Cutthroat Trout (WCT) of the East Kootenay region has earned the popular sport fish a place on British Columbia's Blue List of species at risk of extinction.

The British Columbia Ministry of Environment listed the threatened WCT on Jan. 17 after a two-year campaign by Vancouver's Global Forest, an international forest research institute that investigated the diminishing WCT population.

Global Forest researcher Pete Corbett, and work conducted by UBC scientists that is, in part, supported by Global Forest, Eric Taylor and Emily Rubidge discovered that the WCT is hybridizing with non-indigenous Rainbow Trout that are artificially stocked in the waters near Nelson, BC.

"Global Forest's study strongly suggests that a Rainbow Trout hybrid is replacing the Westslope Cutthroat Trout," says Global Forest Founder and President Dr. Reese Halter. "Biodiverisity is a pillar of a healthy ecology and this alarming situation proves we need to be more aware of the effects of foreign species on indigenous species. We're thrilled to have the Westslope Cutthroat Trout recognized as a vulnerable species, but Global Forest's campaign will continue this spring with a conservation effort and further analyses such as the rate of hybridization."

Global Forest, the Moore Family Foundation (run by Intel co-founder Gordon Moore in San Francisco), the Columbia Basin Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program and The Columbia/Kootenay Fisheries Renewal Partnership have funded the study to date.

The Blue List includes any indigenous species or subspecies considered to be vulnerable in British Columbia and particularly sensitive to human activities or natural events.

Tuscon and Banff-based Global Forest Science (www.globalforestscience.org) is a forest biology research institute. With an international multi-disciplinary team of 165 scientists, Global Forest Science is a world leader in forest science research and has often been likened to the Red Adair's of the forest biology world. Global Forest Sciences' many victories ranging from legislation to protect the threatened westslope cutthroat trout of British Columbia, protection of the world's largest ant colony, opening an international insect quarantine facility and helping to save New Zealand's multi billion dollar forestry and agriculture industries from the Australian painted apple moth. Global Forest Science is also dedicated to children's ecological education - visit GFAwesome.
(www.gfawesome.org)

For more information, please contact:
Email: info@globalforestscience.org
Phone: 818.851.9682