Rare species of fish rediscovered in waters of London-area creek

A Black Redhorse fish found in London this past summer. (Source: Upper Thames River Conservation Authority)

A rare species of fish has been rediscovered locally by the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority.

According to the UTRCA, a Black Redhorse fish was found in Fish Creek this summer. It's otherwise known as the Moxostoma duquesnei and is a "threatened" fish under the Species at Risk Act.

"This species of sucker, found in only a few rivers in Canada, had not been recorded in the sub-watershed in over two decades. This discovery signals successful local conservation efforts," the UTRCA said in a statement.

First designated as at-risk in Canada in 1988, the Black Redhorse’s "threatened" status was reconfirmed in 2019 due to cumulative threats jeopardizing its survival.

Black Redhorse fish prefer to live in moderate-sized, cool, clear, fast-flowing streams.

According to the conservation authoirity, the main threats they face include pollution, climate change, severe weather, invasive species, biological resource use, human intrusion and natural systems modifications.

"Previously, biologists pinpointed the Thames River and the Grand River tributaries as having the healthiest of the remaining Black Redhorse populations in Canada," the UTRCA said.

"This is a small victory, signaling that the creek remains habitable to one of our country’s most at-risk species."