“It has the will to survive”

One of the country's rarest fish is slowly swimming back from the brink of extinction after being spotted in a California river for the first time in 10 years.

The Southern California steelhead trout, known for its long, spotted body with a pink splash on the side, is recognized as an endangered species at the national and state levels.

According to the Independent, as of May, only 177 adults of this rare fish had been spotted in streams, rivers and streams between Santa Maria, California, and the Mexican border in the last 25 years.

Fortunately, that number appears to be increasing. Brian Trautwein, senior analyst and watershed program director for the Environmental Defense Center, told KEYT-TV that a large group of these trout has now been discovered in Santa Barbara County.

“If you look right at the wall, you can see the babies,” Trautwein told the local outlet. “The Southern California steelhead trout is one of the rarest fish in America.”

He explained that it is a rare sight to see one of the endangered fish, so to spot several of them is “highly unusual.” “And to actually see them spawning and have hundreds of young steelhead is almost unheard of,” Trautwein said.

The discovery of the fish is a great encouragement to those working to protect this endangered species. Protecting and encouraging the growth of the fish population helps maintain the biodiversity of California's rivers and streams.

Local conservation efforts remain critical to protect the fish's habitat and ensure they have a place to return as their population continues to grow.

Trautwein told KEYT-TV that the steelhead trout is a unique fish because it can live “either as a trout in freshwater or as a salmon in the ocean.” There hasn't been such a large group of steelhead in the region for at least 10 years.

Now that news of the discovery has spread in Santa Barbara, authorities fear local fishermen will flock to the area to catch the endangered fish. “This species is almost extinct, but it's making a comeback,” Trautwein said. “It's trying. It has the will to survive. We just need to give it a little help.”

To further protect the fish, government authorities collected the thriving fish and juveniles in July and moved them to a safer area.

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