Freshwater mussels are an endangered species in Irish waters, but scientists from Queen’s University Belfast are giving them a welcome boost.
Following a 12-year cultivation project, the researchers have released hundreds of the mussels back into the wild at secret locations around Northern Ireland.
Freshwater mussels can grow to 17 centimetres in length and can live for many years, but in Northern Ireland they are currently on the brink of extinction. Until the project, the only counties that the mussels existed in were Tyrone and Fermanagh.
Transponder tags
One of the researchers checks the freshwater mussels
The scientists have attached tiny tags to the outside of the mussels’ shells to track each mussel and monitor its progress.
The tags, called Passive Integrated Transponders, can be located by a receiver much like a metal detector.
Conor Wilson, a PhD student at Quercus, Queen’s research centre for biodiversity and conservation science, says: “Freshwater mussels are an important part of the ecosystem in many rivers, as they filter water keeping it clean and clear.
“This improves the environment for other plants and animals, and ultimately, humans. Our hope is that eventually, through a programme of breeding and tracking, we will be able to see the equilibrium restored in these rivers and bring the levels of mussels back to what they were 100 years ago.”
Learn more
View a video about the project
Find about other projects by the scientists at Quercus, from tracking invasive species to looking at the impact of wind farms on biodiversity
