Displaying items by tag: big south fork mussels

Endangered baby tan riffleshells are shown tagged before release in Big South Fork. Biologists are successfully reintroducing the mussel tp the area, according to research data. National Park Service

Endangered species seems to be on upswing due to reintroduction; points to water purity

ONEIDA — An endangered freshwater mussel species in the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area is showing signs of natural population increases for the first time. The tan riffleshell (Epioblasma walkeri) is an endangered mussel found in only a few locations within the Big South Fork of the Cumberland and the upper Clinch rivers. The National Park Service has been collaborating with the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources to monitor the status of this rare species.

Staff from both agencies have been working together recently to recover the Big South Fork populations of this species by supplementing their numbers. Male and female tan riffleshell mussels were collected from Big South Fork and used to produce thousands of baby mussels. These small mussels have been added to limited locations where the species is known to exist at Big South Fork over the last few years.