The Cutthroat Trout: Humble Beginnings, Uncertain Future

“The westslope cutthroat is an uncommon beauty, silver-green in the flanks and spotted like a cheetah, with its namesake slashes of red under its chin. Its name makes it sound ruthless, but in fact the fish is a mild-mannered soul, content to nibble on the larvae of water bugs and snatch the occasional mosquito from the air.” On the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clarke expedition, Ben Long writes about the “discovery” of cutthroat trout and why special protections are needed for special fish. On Tidepool.org.