Modified items

All recently modified items, latest first.

Drought Prompts Endangered Fish Rescue: The Tennessee Aquarium and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service launched a fish rescue on November 22. The historic drought conditions had reduced the number of locations where the federally endangered Laurel Dace are found. Most of the streams where these brightly colored fish are found have dried up, leaving only a few shallow pools. Only 18 Laurel Dace were recovered and brought back to the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute for an "ark population," in case this species disappears in the wild. Hopefully these 18 fish will reproduce in the spring allowing scientists an opportunity to bolster the diminishing populations of Laurel Dace in Tennessee.

Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute - Freshwater Biodiversity: The warm waters of the southeastern United States are home to an amazing diversity of animals and habitats. The Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute (TNACI) works to protect and sustain the region's natural treasures and bring people of all ages closer to nature. Help us celebrate and care for these riches in our backyards.

Mapping our Rivers in High Definition: A project video produced by Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) for Trutta Consulting LLC High Definition Stream Survey (HDSS) of the Caney Fork River below Center Hill Dam. The project was supported by the Cumberland Chapter of Trout Unlimited, Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation and TWRA. We also worked with TWRA fisheries sampling crew to video and GPS their trout surveys that were completed at the same time as the HDSS project. This allows us to see the conditions that the fish were captured and determine what areas of the river are best for trout at different flow conditions.

TN Wild Side - Hiwassee Land Preservation: These days, there are a lot more people trying to live on the same amount of land. That's certainly the case here in Tennessee, where our population is growing faster than the national average. Right now over 6 million people live in our state, a number expected to grow to over 7 million within the next 15 years. Which means the struggle to balance development and preservation is only going to get harder. That's why it's becoming even more important that all of us get involved in helping protect biologically, historically, and visually significant parts of our state. Wild Side Guide Craig Owensby takes us to one such place along the Tennessee River north of Chattanooga, where the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, The Land Trust for Tennessee, and community volunteers worked together to protect a Tennessee treasure.

TN Wild Side - Salamander Survey: They're slithery and slimy and so shy we rarely see them. But to those who know about them they are beautiful sights. That's because salamanders are an indicator of just how healthy their home is. Since their home is the woods and water, that's just about everywhere. In this case, we mean the Bear Hollow Mountain Wildlife Management Area in Franklin County. That's where you'll find Barking Frog Swamp, some hard-working Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency biologists, a slew of salamanders, and Wild Side Guide Alan Griggs, all trying to learn more about these often overlooked creatures.

TN Wild Side - Conservation Fisheries...Saving Our Fish: Over the years we've encountered some very special people and organizations dedicated to preserving the Wild Side of our great state. All have the common goal of ensuring a more certain future for wildlife and their habitat. That's why we like to tell you about the good work being done by groups like Conservation Fisheries Incorporated. C-F-I is dedicated to preserving the biodiversity of our rivers and streams, often working to save small fish eliminated or badly harmed by pollution or habitat destruction. Wild Side Guide Alan Griggs tells the story of Pat Rakes and J.R. Shute, two University of Tennessee students who took their passion for our natural waters to a new level, in the process creating a better world for us all.

TN Wild Side - Brook Trout Restoration: The Southern Appalachian Brook Trout is small... so small in fact that a trophy fish is only nine inches long. This beautiful fish, vibrant with shimmery, bright colors is considered a prize catch, largely because the brook trout is a rare and elusive resident of Tennessee waters. It's the only trout native to our state and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and others are trying to make sure it doesn't disappear. Wild Side Guide Alan Griggs takes us to the Cherokee National Forest near Tellico Plains, where some young brook trout are returning home after nearly being wiped out in their mountain habitat.

Endangered Mussels Released into the Clinch River, Largest Release in Eastern US: Biologists from the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (VDGIF), and partners from Virginia Tech, the Nature Conservancy, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service stocked thousands of mussels into the Clinch River, Russell County. The Clinch River has more species of endangered freshwater mussels than any other river in North America. Elementary school students from Cleveland, VA, participated in the event, and learned about the many functions of mussels, including providing habitat for fish, becoming food for many other animals, and filtering and cleaning the water in our streams and rivers. Over 3,500 federally-endangered mussels were produced at the Department's Aquatic Wildlife Conservation Center in Marion, Virginia.

A Deeper Creek - The Watchable Waters of Appalachia: A virtual dive into some of North America's richest rivers, and a fun look at an innovative river snorkeling program that has brought thousands of citizen snorkelers to the vibrant waters of Southern Appalachia. Video by Freshwaters Illustrated.

Sentinels: Monitoring the Little Rivers of the Tennessee Valley. Video by Freshwaters Illustrated in partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority.

Rescuing Barrens Topminnows During A Drought: Dr. Bernie Kuhajda in the field discussing the plight of the endangered Barrens Topminnow as an important population threatened by drought conditions. Video by the Tennessee Aquarium.

Your Drop Matters: Just forty-five years ago, rivers in the U.S. were so polluted that some actually burned. In response, our country created the Clean Water Act amid other strong environmental legislation. Today, two-thirds of our population has never known a time when clean water wasn’t readily available. Despite improvements in the quality of drinking water, freshwater animals and habitats in the southeastern U.S. remain among the most imperiled on Earth. We have become complacent with institutional protections and haven’t challenged our personal behaviors. How can we solve the freshwater crisis starting in our own backyard? Video by TEDxChattanooga.

N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Whirling Disease Response Plan: On July 27, 2015, whirling disease was confirmed in rainbow trout collected from Watauga River in Watauga County– the first occurrence of the disease in North Carolina. Whirling disease affects fish in the trout and salmon family with rainbow and brook trout, two species found in North Carolina waters, being the most susceptible. The disease, caused by the microscopic parasite Myxobolus cerebralis, damages cartilage and skeletal tissue in trout, causing them to swim in a whirling motion.