The Pupfish on a slide to extinction.

Scientists are unable to explain the reason behind the steady decline in the number of pupfish. The Desert pupfish was first listed on March 31, 1986. It is currently designated as Endangered species. This species is known to occur in Arizona, California and Mexico.

The population last month was tallied at 84 -- the same as in February.

Jim Deacon, a University of Nevada-Las Vegas biologist, said, 'The expected increase this fall did not happen. All through last summer there was egg-laying and babies produced, but not enough to increase the adult population, so we're still at very dangerous levels.'

'It doesn't look like there was a change in the ecological relationships,' Deacon told the Sun. 'One easy cop out is to say there is a genetic bottleneck, but I think that's too easy.

Unless we do something quickly, they will disappear forever.

Tag : pupfish, environment, nature, ecology.