In 1997, the Utah Legislature adopted the Bonneville Cutthroat trout as the official state fish. Native to the Bonneville Basin, this fish is thought to have cruised the cold, clear depths of ancient Lake Bonneville. After the demise of the big lake, 8,000 years ago into what is now the Great Salt Lake, the trout were relegated to the smaller lakes and headwaters of the drainage area. As late as the 1950’s biologists believed all pure strains of the fish were extinct due to over-harvest and water diversions. But, some pure populations were located and after some aggressive conservation efforts they now occupy over 35 percent of their historical range, most notably in Strawberry Reservoir and Bear Lake. To learn more about the Bonneville Cutthroat or any other critter found in Utah, remember it’s just a click away, check out our Utah Field Guide on our outdoors page at KSLTV.com
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