Fish Species Extinct For Decades 'Resurrected,' To Return To Its Natural Habitat [Photo]

A fish species that has been extinct in the wild for nearly three decades is getting a chance to thrive again in its natural habitat in Mexico.

The golden skiffia (Skiffia francesae) has not been seen since the 1990s, Re:wild, an organization that "protects and restores the wild," noted in a news release. It is said to be "harmless" to humans. However, human impacts have threatened its only home in the Teuchitlán River in Jalisco, Mexico.

Changes in the river due to threats such as water extraction, pollution, the introduction of invasive species and dam construction have pushed the fish species to extinction. So far, the golden skiffia has been classified as "extinct in the wild" under the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species.

But this year, 28 years after it vanished from the wild, a team of conservationists will be bringing the golden skiffia back to life. Conservationists will release 1,200 fish to the Teuchitlán River on Nov. 4 in hopes of resurrecting the species in its native habitat.

This comes just in time amid the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico.

The move is the result of a collaborative effort from Re:wild, Michoacan University of Mexico, Chester Zoo, Goodeid Working Group and conservation group SHOAL. The team hopes releasing the golden skiffia back to its natural habitat would eventually result in a "healthy, self-sustaining" population. The fish population has an important role in the ecosystem, as it eats algae and mosquito larvae, thereby controlling their population.

"Releasing the golden skiffia around this time is a metaphor for how the species has come back from the dead to return to its home, not for one night, but forever," Omar Domínguez-Domínguez of the Michoacan University of Mexico, who is leading the resurrection efforts.

There were massive efforts to remove the threats that caused its extinction in the first place and breed them in captivity. After releasing them into the river, the tagged fish will be monitored for the next five years.

This shows how conservation efforts can help save vulnerable creatures from extinction. "One in three" freshwater fish are actually threatened with extinction, making them the "most threatened group of vertebrates on the planet," Re:wild noted.

"With thousands of freshwater species threatened with extinction, the story of the golden skiffia returning to the wild is inspiring evidence of the many opportunities for conservation impact that together can reverse the freshwater biodiversity crisis," said Harmony Patricio, of SHOAL and Re:wild.