World’s Rarest Fish Makes a Comeback in Death Valley
Summary
The Devils Hole pupfish population rose to 137 in an October 2026 survey, up from 77 in spring 2026 and 69 in fall 2025. Conservation measures, including releases of captive-raised fish and supplemental feeding, followed a sharp decline linked to earthquake-driven waves in the cavern.Key Facts
- The Devils Hole pupfish lives naturally only in Devils Hole, a water-filled cavern in Death Valley National Park, Nevada.
- National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service staff counted 137 fish on October 10, 2026.
- The count was 77 in spring 2026 and 69 in fall 2025.
- Earthquakes in December 2024 and February 2025 caused waves that washed algae, organic material, and eggs off the fish’s limestone shelf.
- Biologists counted 38 fish in spring 2025, compared with 191 a year earlier; the 38 included 19 captive-raised fish released as part of an emergency effort.
- Between March 2025 and February 2026, conservationists transferred 72 captive-raised fish from the Ash Meadows Fish Conservation Facility into Devils Hole.
- Scientists provided supplemental food while algae recovered, and biologists believe most fish in the latest count were born in the cavern.
- An October 9 earthquake in Panama caused initial signs of stress among the fish, though they appeared healthier on a later visit.
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