Ever hear of a sicklefin redhorse?  Neither have I, until now!  It appears that this fish, recently discovered by scientists, was once a staple food item for Cherokee Indians in the southeastern U.S.  Officials report that the redhorse, which can grow up to 3 feet long and to weights exceeding 7 pounds, is found in only two river basins.  Current research is being conducted by scientists at North Carolina State University studying the movement patterns and reproductive biology of the redhorse, and a Virginia professor is reportedly still in the process of formally describing the fish.  

With help from the federal government, the Cherokee tribe is in the process of introducing the fish into new waters in hopes that they will successfully reproduce.  No word yet on political issues involved with the redhorse, but stay tuned.  This one’s under the radar for now, but the rare fish will likely be another target of political conflict sometime in the future.  It has been proposed as an endangered species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

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