The Fish and Wildlife Service proposed extending Endangered Species Act protections Monday to the Kentucky creekshell, a freshwater mussel thought to be at risk of extinction.
Citing dangers including urbanization, gravel mining and agricultural runoff, the federal agency called for the mussel’s designation as endangered. The agency is also proposing to designate 545 river miles in Kentucky and Tennessee as critical habitat.
“The species has already shown dramatic declines in abundance and resiliency of its populations,” the Fish and Wildlife Service stated, adding that “with the majority of populations in low resiliency, the species’ condition is currently in poor condition and is expected to decline over time due to existing threats, such as low population numbers and sedimentation, as well as increasing threats in some of the watersheds.”
The mussels grow up to 3 inches in length. They require a particular host fish, the banded sculpin, to complete their life cycle. Both the fish and the mussel need clean flowing water without excess sedimentation. The mussel inhabits portions of the Green, Nolin, Barren and Gasper rivers along with several creeks.
