Mussels once numbered the millions in local rivers. Now researchers are hoping to find a type of salamander that an endangered mussel needs to survive.
It found the ranges of most threatened species across the country are not in protected areas. The authors hope the work can help focus conservation efforts in Pa.
The Ohio River system has more mussel species than any other river system on earth, except the Mississippi. Scientists are working to get to the bottom of their mysterious disappearance.
Janet Clayton's 30-year career studying freshwater mussels has helped provide the knowledge to save these animals from extinction. But many challenges remain.
Mussels are a natural filter, cleaning up muddy water and allowing more sunlight into the water. A new hatchery hopes to raise a half a million mussels a year for the Delaware and Susquehanna watersheds.
This "underdog" of aquatic animals can filter up to 600 gallons of water per month. Working together, mussels can dramatically clean the rivers where they live. Now, Philadelphia is banking on just that.
Western Pennsylvania has rich biodiversity and large chunks of forests, but looming threats. A new effort will prioritize funding to save wildlife like brook trout and golden-winged warblers in key regions to restore forests and waterways.
