Mudsnails Invading

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department recently confirmed new findings of New Zealand mudsnails in both the North Platte River near Casper and the Salt River south of Alpine. New Zealand mudsnails are an aquatic invasive species that pose serious issues for fisheries. They can alter water chemistry through filter feeding and they reproduce at rapid rates. They crowd out habitat suited for stoneflies, caddisflies and other insects that are important food for trout. The New Zealand mudsnail is able to shield itself from toxins in the water, making chemical eradication of the species impossible. While the Game and Fish aquatic invasive species program focuses on intercepting species like zebra and quagga mussels from out of state, the department says this is a good reminder for water users traveling to different waters within Wyoming why they must also Clean, Drain and Dry to prevent moving harmful species like New Zealand mudsnails and curly pondweed. Game and Fish will continue to monitor the population and conduct further sampling to determine the breadth of the infestation.

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