The Utah Department of Transportation recently helped airlift critical breeding populations of the endangered Woundfin fish from New Mexico to an aquatic facility in Logan, UT – preventing potential extinction of this rare species.
[Above image by Utah DOT]
Utah DOT’s Division of Aeronautics stepped in to help the Utah Department of Natural Resources (DNR) reduce a day-long road trip from New Mexico to Utah into a 2.5-hour flight to transport the Woundfin fish to the Aquatic Animal Health and Research Center in Logan.
Greg Peterson, chief pilot for the Utah DOT’s aeronautics division, explained in a video about the airlift that air transport was “a lot healthier for the fish and the people,” proving the aircraft was the ideal, more economical, and safer solution for protecting Utah’s fragile resources.
“It really boils down to the right tool for the right job,” he said. “Our airplane is faster, flies higher, and is an all-weather aircraft.”
Melinda Bennian, project leader for Utah’s DNR, noted that the Woundfin hatchery in New Mexico near Roswell is “logistically difficult to get to; it’s difficult as a person to fly [there] just on a commercial plane.”
She said the fish were placed in bags that were oxygenated, then placed in coolers for the flight. “They were in a river in the sky,” Bennian added.
Utah DOT noted that its Aeronautics Division provides a range of special airlift services on a regular basis.
For example, in February, the division transported a group of pediatric orthopedic surgeons and specialists from the University of Utahto Southern Utah to provide treatment to children in rural communities
Aimed at providing healthcare to remote areas of the state such as Moab, St. George, Vernal, and Blanding, this regular air transport program allows doctors provide same-day appointments in rural locales, which cuts down costs for families in travel and ensures that patients receive timely care.
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