The endangered Gila Topminnow will be the new ally in combating mosquito-borne diseases in Pima County this summer.
The Arizona Game and Fish Department will introduce 500 of the native fish into standing waters in urban county areas. The fish will then target mosquito larvae and reduce the threat of mosquito-borne diseases like West Nile and the Zika Virus.
The approach is also being considered in other Arizona counties.
AZGFD's Project Coordinator Ross Timmons says, "Standing waters are prime breeding habitat for mosquitos, and that can provide a serious public health threat to the community."
The project was planned with the help of Pima County Health Department, Pima County Sustainability and Conservation, the Phoenix Zoo, and Arizona State University.
