The burbot, a freshwater cod nicknamed the Kootenai leopard, plummeted to just 50 surviving fish in the Kootenai River system by 2004. Dam construction blocked critical spawning routes while overfishing took its toll, rendering the species functionally extinct in Idaho. This ecological collapse seemed irreversible until a dedicated coalition intervened.

A partnership between the Ktunaxa Nation Council, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho, and the Idaho Department of Fish and Game launched a recovery program. Biologists tagged and tracked remaining fish to understand spawning patterns. They identified release sites for hatchery-raised burbot and suspended sport fishing to eliminate pressure. This intensive, multi-decade management paid off.

By 2019, the population had rebounded sufficiently to reopen a regulated fishing season. The burbot's return is ecologically vital; as an apex predator, it maintains fish population balance and serves as a key indicator species for river health. While this success story is unique, most other U.S. burbot populations continue to decline without comparable conservation action, making the Kootenai effort a critical benchmark for freshwater species management.