Shyraja Beatty Endangered Rainbow Trout/Steelhead

• Rainbow Trout, also call steelhead, is a type of fish that doesn’t have a lot of work to do
•  Once only found in North America and Siberia now you can find them many other places
• Scientists call them Oncorhynchus Mykiss

 Appearance of the Rainbow Trout

•  They are green with black spots, and it has white or yellowish underpants (under side of fish). One stripe appears on each of its sides that are pink to red in color 
•  An adult Rainbow Trout can reach a total of 14.5 inches in length and can weigh up to 20 lb. Also can only live up 11 years

                                     Habits and Behavior of a Rainbow Trout

• All on its own (solitary), they travel to lakes where they wander in the shallow sections searching for Plankton, Minnows, Insect and other aquatic creatures. 
•  Rainbow Trout are carnivores (animals that only eat meat) and a predator. 
• They can also be prey, for example, young Rainbow Trout often are eaten by a variety of piscivorous (fish-eating) fishes such a Sculpins, Small-mouth bass, and larger trout. 
• When in shallow water, they also are fed upon by Kingfishers, Herons, Eagles, Osprey and Raccoons. 
• Humans are the most frequent predators of lager Rainbows Trout.  
•  After searching many websites, information could not be found regarding if this fish sleeps. Therefore, it appears that the fish is always awake. 

Sea Surface Temp. of the Pacific Ocean 

                                       Rainbow Trout location an Temp. of water  

• A Rainbow Trout natural habitat could be fresh water (which only the Rainbow Trout  lives), salt water (which only the steel-head live)  
• Typically grows much larger than the rainbow trout that remains In fresh water . 
• They are found in lake, streams and coasts with water less than 35 feet deep also survive in wide range of temperate conditions.
•  Lake Superior, Pacific Ocean, Rocky Mountains and Minnesota’s are some other places you may find steel-head/rainbow trout.  Endanger in June 17 1998, and southern ca. an also threatened an September 7 2000, and northern CA. 

• Due to poor feeding conditions in the areas predation by Marine Mammals
• The ocean driftnet fishing. In 1991, the Rainbow Trout population was sustained by annual stockings
• After looking numerous websites, the exact numbers of Rainbow Trout currently and historically have not been found
• However, due to the diseases the populations declined and in 1997 were put on the endangered species
•  In addition efforts have been made to restore the Rainbow Trout population through efforts involving fish hatcheries
•  They hybridize with other (mates with other fish therefore creating a new species of fish), more rare trout species

OUTSIDE INFO :

Causes of populations decline were various human-induced and natural factors, Hydro-power dames blocks trout access to factors, lake and ocean, over fishing and diseases in the water. Annual stocking from fish hatcheries/restructured the aquatic food web increased trout food source.    


Source Names :
www.earthsendangered.com
www.lakesuperiorstreames/org
usgs.gov
www.nmfs.noao.gov/pr/species/fish/steelheadtrout.htm