8513

Wilson, Jim

The Appalachian elktoe mussel was placed on the endangered species list in 1994. Between 2004 and 2006, North Carolina Wildlife Commission biologists studied this mussel on the Little Tennessee River between the town of Franklin and the Fontana Reservoir and reported a decline in its population. There is no obvious reason for the decline, and biologists are not ruling out disease, parasites, or toxins. Part of the decline is attributed to flooding from tropical storms Frances and Ivan. Even more puzzling is that five other mussel species in the same area at the same time have stable populations.

Wildlife in North Carolina (NoCar SK 431 W54x), Vol. 71 Issue 2, Feb 2007, p36, il Periodical Website

Freshwater mussels--Little Tennessee River