Save freshwater pearl mussels from extinction

Save freshwater pearl mussels from extinction

Freshwater pearl mussels are important for the wellbeing of rivers, but human activity has made them highly endangered. By donating to research on freshwater pearl mussels you can save the species from extinction.

Freshwater pearl mussels are crucial for the wellbeing of rivers

This is Maggie. It is a freshwater pearl mussel who can live for more than 250 years. Maggie, a tiny mussel, is important for the wellbeing of the whole river. It cleans water by filtering it, and when it moves, it adds oxygen to the riverbed. This is crucial for many species. If the mussels disappear from a river, the whole ecosystem of the river changes and also other species disappear.

The decline of mussels is a bad thing for the whole river. They play an important part in the water ecosystem as they filter and clean water effectively.

Jouni Taskinen, professor, Konnevesi Research Station.

Freshwater pearl mussel is a crucial key species, which keeps the rest of the ecosystem alive.

According to estimates, there are about 150 rivers in Finland where freshwater pearl mussels still live.

Freshwater pearl mussel is highly endangered

Freshwater pearl mussel is a demanding and fragile species, which survives only in gravel-bottom rivers with clear and oxygen-rich water. The mussels actually live in many rivers but their larvae can survive in only a few of them. The larvae of the mussels attach to the gills of salmon, and in the next summer young mussels burrow themselves into riverbeds to eat and grow.

Maggie’s species existed already in the time of the dinosaurs, but human activity has nearly driven it to extinction. Many traditional mussel rivers have been dammed up, which has prevented the climbing of anadromous salmon, a process that is crucial for the reproduction of mussels. The modification of riverbeds, nutrients flowing into rivers, silt, and pearl fishing have also significantly reduced the populations of freshwater pearl mussels.

Freshwater pearl mussels can be saved

Securing the reproduction of mussels is a lifeline for the survival of the species, as are the reconditioning of rivers and other actions. In conditions where natural reproduction is not possible, we can help the mussel to reproduce in the laboratory environment.

From 2016, individual mussels have been taken to our Konnevesi Research Station for a “honeymoon” – with excellent results. This means that mussels in poor condition have been taken from twelve rivers all around Finland to the research station to recover, and the rehabilitated mussels have reproduced swiftly. Tens of thousands of mussel babies are born in the shelter of the research station every year! The first juvenile mussels were taken to their home river in 2021. The cultivation work is based on research, which helps to determine the optimal conditions for freshwater pearl mussels to reproduce and survive in natural conditions.

Artificial cultivation is a necessary intermediate phase in the protection of pearl mussels and gives hope for saving endangered mussel species from extinction.

Jouni Taskinen, professor, Konnevesi Research Station.

Your donation can help protect freshwater pearl mussels from extinction.

Donate to the research of freshwater pearl mussels

Together we can save Maggie and other members of the species from extinction! By making a donation, you can help ensure that the important research and cultivation work at Konnevesi continues into the future. Every donation, no matter how small, makes a difference, so you can donate whatever amount you like. Each donation is an important step towards saving the pearl mussel populations.

Donate today – Let’s save freshwater pearl mussels from extinction

What else can I do for freshwater pearl mussels?

In addition to donating, we all can help the freshwater pearl mussels by sharing information about them, helping to improve their living environments, and respecting their integrity. You can also increase awareness of the mussel by sharing this video on social media.