A hellbender can live to be 29 years old. The nocturnal hellbender also can be found in the Susquehanna River Basin, although its population has been reduced in the last century because of acid mine drainage and pollution. The freshwater mussel is a relative of the saltwater clam and oyster. Mussels, which can live be 100 years old, are an important food source for many animals. Native Americans also ate them and used their shells for utensils, tools, and jewelry.
Mussels are one of the most endangered groups in North America.
Many of Pennsylvania s 379 BIRD species can be found in the French Creek watershed. Several of these species are endangered or threatened, including the short-eared owl, the osprey and the bald eagle, which migrates through Pennsylvania from Canada and Florida. Adult bald eagles can have an eight-foot wingspan, and have eyesight that is six times sharper than a human s. Habitat loss, water pollution, and excessive hunting caused its decline throughout Pennsylvania and its disappearance from the watershed. Otters have been successfully introduced in other areas of the state and it is hoped that one day this playful mammal will return to French Creek.