Projects and Research
Currently the Hatchery has the primary brood stock for the state fish of Colorado, the Bear Creek greenback cutthroat. Bear Creek is the sole remaining wild population of greenback cutthroat trout that genetically match South Platte drainage museum specimens from the late 1800’s. Progeny from the captive broodfish held at Leadville National Fish Hatchery will be used to establish additional populations of this extremely rare fish.
The hatchery is also one of only a four facilities in the nation raising the endangered Wyoming toad. Tadpoles are received annually from a broodstock broodstock
The reproductively mature adults in a population that breed (or spawn) and produce more individuals (offspring or progeny).
Learn more about broodstock facility and raised to adulthood for an annual release into their native habitat in southern Wyoming. Leadville is unique for a toad rearing facility; because of the small, isolated population at the facility we are able to perform research projects that are not feasible at the larger broodstock facilities.