Efforts to protect the shrinking populations of the Salina mucket and Mexican fawnsfoot mussels, unique species inhabiting the Rio Grande in Texas, are gaining momentum. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has unveiled a plan to secure these freshwater mussels under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) while also designating 385 miles of the Rio Grande as their critical habitat. These mussels, once spread across a larger expanse of the Rio Grande watershed, are currently confined to two river segments. One portion is downstream from Big Bend National Park, while the other lies between Eagle Pass and San Ygnacio, Texas. Their … Continue reading Struggle for Survival: The Plight of the Rio Grande Mussels