In a clear, cold pool waits a patient predator, a monster of the river. He is voracious, ready to devour any prey which crosses his path, even if he has to fight for it.
In a clear, cold pool waits a patient predator, a monster of the river. He is voracious, ready to devour any prey which crosses his path, even if he has to fight for it. Many Alberta anglers can attest to his grit and have fond memories of wrestling with this feisty character. At the sight of his sleek, silvery-olive back and his orange speckled sides, they know this fish will not come quietly. He is the mighty bull trout.
The bull trout is Alberta’s provincial fish, and is world-renowned as an exciting fish for anglers even though it's catch-and-release only. People from all over the continent are attracted to Alberta’s waterways to battle the bull trout. But not all of them are here just for the thrill.
Dr. Christie Sampson, PhD, is an Eyes High postdoctoral scholar in the lab of Dr. Steven Vamosi, PhD, a professor in UCalgary's Faculty of Science. Originally from Michigan, Sampson’s diverse research has taken her around the world — from tagging alligators in Florida to helping prevent elephant poaching in Myanmar to tracking tigers in Russia. Most recently, her passion for research and conservation led her to the Tay River here in Alberta, and to the bull trout, which is listed as threatened under Alberta’s Wildlife Act.
Continue reading at University of Calgary.
Image via Briana Van Den Bussche.
