Annual mussel walk highlights importance of prevention
Summer Goddard
Phil Matson, a research coordinator with the Flathead Lake Biological Station, explains to students how easy it is to unknowingly transport microscopic mussel larvae (veligers) as they can survive in standing water for three days. Clean, drain and dry are the aquatic invasive species prevention steps for anyone bringing watercraft to Montana waters.
Summer Goddard
Sophie Nacer with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks talks to students about the features that make certain plants and animals invasive such as adaptability, speed at which they spread and impact on other organisms and the environment.
Summer Goddard
Polson seventh grader Griffey Wishman, center, and his classmates draw their own invasive “aquamon” creatures.
Summer Goddard
Gigi, a black lab trained to do mussel detection, sits and looks up at her owner, Deb Tirmenstein, to let her know she’s found the cooler that has mussels in it. Tirmenstein explained to students attending the mussel walk that she developed this game and others to train her dogs to do mussel detection. When one of her dogs correctly identifies which cooler contains mussels, a tennis ball shoots out of the top of the cooler as a reward.
Summer Goddard
Summer Goddard
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