SHELL GAME

Ohio State, in collaboration with the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, has reintroduced endangered, freshwater mussels to several Ohio rivers. In the past couple of years, researchers have placed more than 3,700 of the golf-ball-sized critters in local rivers, making the endeavor the largest reintroduction of an endangered species in Ohio history, according to Tom Watters, curator of mollusks at Ohio State’s Museum of Biological Diversity and science director at the collaborative Freshwater Mussel Conservation and Research Center, across the river from the Columbus Zoo.

For their efforts with the freshwater mussels, the center recently was named the “premiere conservation facility in North America” by the national Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

“Freshwater mussels are the most endangered animals in North America because of habitat destruction and poor water quality,” said Watters. The group obtained Northern Riffleshell mussels, which have all but disappeared in Ohio, from a river in Pennsylvania, where a bridge project would have disrupted their habitat, then bred them at the research center before reintroducing them into the wild in Big Darby Creek. Each mussel is tagged so that it can be followed and studied, despite its habit of burrowing into muddy stream bottoms.

So far, so good. The mussels seem to be adapting to their new habitat and their population continues to grow. At the research center, more mussels are being raised this spring and were released in May in the Ohio River, Big Darby Creek, Clear Creek, and Leading Creek. Ohio State staff members Jennifer Cecil and Trisha Gibson keep close tabs on huge tanks of mussels and stacked aquariums full of their fish “hosts,” such as darters, bass, bluegill, chubs, and catfish.

“They truly are the nastiest of the mussel family,” Watters said of the Riffleshell. “The female mussel lies still and tries to attract a curious fish. When a fish swims close, she slams her shell shut, trapping the fish.” She then lets her “parasite” baby mussels loose onto the fish’s face before letting it go. Once the parasites grow into young mussels, they fall off the fish and make their home in the river bottom. The Ohio State researchers hope to have thousands of little mussels ready to go this spring.

Why so much effort for a tiny, mud-brown mussel? “The zoo places a high importance on partnerships in terms of research and conservation,” explained Doug Warmolts, director of animal care at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. “We have a long history of these efforts all over the world, and it’s important to practice what we preach right here in our own backyard.”

"This mussel is part of Ohio’s natural heritage,” he added. “It’s as much a part of our wildlife heritage as the bald eagle. Granted, it’s not as charismatic as the bald eagle but it’s just as important."

"It’s also a really good indicator of water quality and water characteristics.” Added Watters, “They don’t have to be ‘good’ for anything; they are just part of our environment, part of our heritage. They’re a link to our quality of life.”

The conservation and research center is a resource for Ohio State students and often opens its doors to them for field trips. It also hosts K-12 students for educational visits with their teachers.