Parks Canada has announced a milestone in the restoration efforts of the westslope cutthroat trout, an at-risk fish species in Alberta. The agency says for the first time, the trout have been spawning naturally in Banff National Park’s Hidden Lake. Officials say the fish that were seen laying the eggs were collected and incubated by Parks Canada in 2021 and 2022, before they were reintroduced to the lake and its tributaries. “Natural spawning is one of the strongest indicators that a restored population has been established,” the agency said in a statement. “It demonstrates that Hidden Lake once again provides the habitat conditions needed for this threatened native species to complete its life cycle.” According to the province, westslope cutthroat trout are native to the mountain and foothills streams of southern Alberta within the Oldman and Bow River Watersheds. The species is in decline due to breeding with introduced populations of rainbow trout and non-native cutthroat trout.
