January 7, 2022
2021 brought several aquatic survey opportunities to MAD. Jenna Roller-Knapp, our Water Quality and Aquatic Ecology Specialist, led mussel surveys across Ohio and in Iowa. She is state certified to perform freshwater mussel surveys in Group 1 and 3 streams. Nick Smeenk, Wildlife Biologist and Approved Herpetologist for the Eastern Hellbender, Blanding’s Turtle, and Eastern Massasauga in addition to holding a federal recovery permit for the Eastern Massasauga. If those credentials didn’t impress you, they are both SCUBA certified as well, which comes in handy given most of the animals they study live underwater! This dynamic duo led surveys for mussels (family Unionidae) and mudpuppies (Necturus maculosus) in the Des Moines River, and mussels in Mercer, Cuyahoga, Summit, and Delaware Counties. No listed species were […]