Helicopter for transporting fish, courtesy of AGFD/George Andrejko @ TNC's Muleshe Ranch

Loach Minnow, courtesy of AGFD/George Andrejko @ TNC's Muleshoe Ranch

Group photo of team, courtesy of AGFD/George Andrejko, Oct. 4, 2007 @ TNC's Muleshoe Ranch

University of Arizona Volunteer transplanting fish, courtesy of AGFD/George Andrejko @ TNC's Muleshoe Ranch

Transplanting fish at Hotspring, courtesy of AGFD/George Andrejko @ TNC's Muleshoe Ranch

On October 4, 2007, approximately 2,800 Gila topminnow, desert pupfish, spikedace, and loach minnow were reintroduced into streams and springs on the Muleshoe Conservation Management Area (CMA).  The Muleshoe CMA is located in southeast Arizona, and is managed jointly by The Nature Conservancy, the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Forest Service.  The project involved seven crews totalling approximately 35 people.  A collection crew at a TNC pond near Dudleyville, Arizona, collected Gila topminnow and desert pupfish, which were transported in 55-gallon drums by helicopter to three crews at three different locations on the Muleshoe CMA.  An additional team collected spikedace and loach minnow from Aravaipa Creek, where they were transported by helicopter to two additional teams on the Muleshoe CMA.  Two of the teams placed fish in five-gallon buckets and hiked into the appropriate locations before placing the fish into the stream.