Friday, 11 September 2026, 7:59
In the blistering heat of southeastern California, state scientists are undertaking a crucial mission to study and protect one of the region's most resilient creatures.
DWR researchers are braving temperatures that frequently surpass 110 degrees Fahrenheit to monitor the desert pupfish population at the Salton Sea in Riverside County.
Summer conditions in the Salton Sea basin are notoriously harsh, making outdoor work hazardous. Despite these challenges, DWR staff members Vanessa Velasco and Nicholas Burgos routinely venture into the field during the peak breeding season. Their primary objective is to set and collect traps to track pupfish movements and survival rates. CDFW fishery biologist Sharon Keeney provides essential training on handling these delicate specimens.
Keeney emphasizes strict protocols to ensure the safety of the fish. Because desert pupfish do not tolerate handling well, especially juveniles, researchers must minimize air exposure. They rely exclusively on nets and buckets, strictly avoiding direct physical contact with the animals.
The Salton Sea basin gets brutally hot at this time of year, but this is the peak of the breeding season for the pupfish and that is when our research surveys are crucial. It is a pretty harsh environment for most creatures, which is why their ability to survive here is so remarkable.
The surveys directly support DWR’s Species Conservation Habitat project, a major aquatic restoration initiative targeting the southern end of the Salton Sea. By May 2025, the initial phase successfully filled the first two ponds, expanding available habitat by roughly 2,010 acres. Project managers report highly encouraging early results as the fish begin colonizing these new waters almost immediately.
This conservation work extends beyond the open waters of the Salton Sea. Keeney has also helped establish a dedicated desert pupfish population at the Living Desert Zoo in Palm Desert. To honor her contributions to the program, one of the zoo's new ponds bears her name. These local initiatives highlight how regional institutions collaborate to preserve native species facing environmental threats.
The desert pupfish is the only endemic fish species in the Salton Sea ecosystem. Historically widespread across shoreline pools and creeks, their range drastically contracted after the Colorado River breached an irrigation canal in 1905, forming the accidental lake. Continuous evaporation since the early 2000s has further reduced their habitat, leading to an endangered status designation in the 1980s.
As restoration crews prepare to open additional water channels throughout the coming years, the continued monitoring of these hardy fish will remain vital. Ensuring the long-term survival of the desert pupfish requires persistent scientific effort, strategic habitat management, and unwavering commitment from local researchers.
