The mysterious Altamaha spinymussel, found in Georgia’s Ocmulgee River and Altamaha River, is the latest addition to the endangered species list. The spiky-shelled mussel, which looks like a projectile and is thought to eat with its foot, has already disappeared from the state's Oconee and Ohoopee rivers.
The organisms are imperiled party because they filter algae, bacteria and decaying matter from water. While this makes them helpful in cleaning the water supply, they are susceptible to pollution. The Endangered Species Act makes it illegal to kill or harm a listed species and directs federal wildlife officials to help it recover.
The Fish and Wildlife Service is designating critical habitat along the upper Altamaha, lower Ocmulgee and Ohoopee rivers in Appling, Ben Hill, Coffee, Jeff Davis, Long, Montgomery, Tattnall, Telfair, Toombs, Wayne and Wheeler counties. Wildlife regulators must be consulted to be sure any project that uses federal dollars or requires federal permits does not harm the habitat.
Read more about the spinymussel and its listing here.