Freshwater Mussel Research in El Salvador
Channel: Shedd Aquarium
Date: 2023-07-13

Earlier this year we announced the exciting news that we are now an IUCN Species Survival Commission, Center for Species Survival: Freshwater! With this new designation, one of our first goals was to expand our ongoing freshwater mussel research beyond the Midwest and into Central America. Central America is a biodiversity hotspot for freshwater mussels, which have been understudied.  
 
Freshwater mussels are highly sensitive to habitat degradation, invasive species and pollution, and have steadily become one of the most endangered animals in the world due to these human-caused problems.
 
Join Shedd Vice President of Conservation Research, Chuck Knapp Ph. D., and Research Biologist, Dr. Kentaro Inoue in El Salvador as they visit nine sites across the country surveying freshwater mussel populations, building relationships and training local collaborators.  
 
Special thank you to our hosts, the El Salvador Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, the University of El Salvador and The Walder Foundation for helping make this trip possible.