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Endangered AZ fish absent for decade resurfaces

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An endangered fish has been spotted in a southern Arizona river for the first time in 10 years, according to officials.

The Gila topminnow, a small fish that typically lives less than a year, was located last month in the Santa Cruz River as officials conducted their annual fish survey.

The fish species was added to the Endangered Species Act in 1967 and last seen in the Santa Cruz River in 2005, according to a media release.

Officials believe the topminnow, and other fish species, left the river because it was overly polluted and a bad odor deterred recreation. Officials say cleaner water is probably what brought the fish back.

Doug Duncan, fish biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, said Gila topminnow populations had been living upstream in the Sonoita Creek and in the Santa Cruz River in Mexico.

"So most likely floods washed them down. Now we need to ensure they survive and thrive longterm," he said in a release.

The discovery was by made by the Sonoran Institute, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Friends of the Santa Cruz River, National Park Service and other partners. The announcement was made public on Monday, Dec. 7.