We recently returned from a trip to Mexico centered around the annual Desert Fishes Council meeting in Cuatrociénegas. The meeting offered a great chance to reconnect with colleagues, hear new research on desert fish ecology, and discuss ongoing conservation challenges facing spring systems throughout the region.
Outside the conference hall, we spent time visiting field sites in the Cuatrociénegas valley, where collaborators are working hard on invasive-species control and habitat protection. It was a privilege to spend time in some truly remarkable springs, pools, and channels filled with the unique fishes that make this valley so special.
We also made a stop in Melchor Múzquiz to look at the historic habitat of Xiphophorus meyeri, a species that disappeared from the wild nearly three decades ago. Seeing the site in person was a powerful reminder of what’s been lost, but also of the potential for future restoration. With continued collaboration, there may be a path toward reintroduction…
