ST. GEORGE (AP) — Thousands of endangered Virgin River chub that were raised in a hatchery have been released into the wild.

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources says the release of the 3,400 chub is part of an ongoing effort to preserve the rare fish in southern Utah.

The fish were raised in the Wahweap Warmwater Hatchery in Big Water and trucked to an area outside St. George to be set free in the Virgin River.

Melinda Bennion, a state fisheries biologist, says the fish is only found in the lower parts of the Virgin River and can survive up to 10 years in the wild.