Sourced wildlife profile
Oncorhynchus apache

Apache trout: a recovery story still in motion.

A concise, source-linked profile of Apache trout (Oncorhynchus apache), with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's current recovery account, habitat context, documented pressures, and official programs to explore.

Apache trout · Oncorhynchus apache

Conservation status

A federal recovery milestone

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says Apache trout were officially removed from the federal endangered-species list in September 2024 after continued habitat restoration, nonnative fish removal, and population expansion. Delisting is a recovery milestone; the agency also says long-term protection work continues.

Cited source

Habitat

Cold, high-elevation Arizona waters

The Apache trout is native to cold, high-elevation waters and mountain streams in Arizona. The recovery account says a new barrier completed on Big Bonito Creek in 2025 protects nearly 22 miles of recovery habitat—about 18% of the remaining habitat. That is a documented recovery site, not a claim that all habitat is protected.

Cited source

Major pressures named in the sources

Major pressures named in the sources

Nonnative trout entering recovery habitat
The recovery account describes nonnative trout moving upstream into Apache trout habitat. Fish removal and a replacement barrier are among the recovery actions described by the agency.

Cited source

Habitat degradation and fragmentation
The agency describes ongoing stream-restoration work, including fencing riparian areas away from livestock, planting vegetation for shade and bank stability, and using simple in-stream structures to reduce erosion and improve habitat complexity.

Cited source

Protection does not end at delisting
Even after delisting, the agency says conservation work is far from over. Monitoring, habitat restoration, nonnative trout removal, and work to preserve genetic diversity remain part of the recovery account.

Cited source

Official programs to explore

Official programs to explore

Source records

Source records

Reviewed October 2, 2026. The profile summarizes the cited records and does not claim to be a complete recovery plan or threat inventory. Check the official pages for current details.