Life Beneath the Surface: Wildlife of the Mississippi River
The Mississippi River runs from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, winding and grinding over 2300 miles and shifting from a temperate northern climate zone to humid sub-tropical. Dams, diking and environmental pollution have all had an impact on the aquatic wildlife. In other words, you probably are not going to see what Mark Twain saw when he rode the same river in the mid 19th century.
The Upper Mississippi River is home to over 119 species of fish, including northern pike, walleye, bass, catfish, sturgeon, crappies, paddlefish, and the giant alligator gar. If you add in the fish species found in the Lower Mississippi basin, you get an astounding total of 260 fish species as well as 145 different species of reptiles and amphibians. Mussels are not super fun to watch, but the 45 species of mussels which inhabit the Mississippi serve as an important indicator of water quality.
Although alligators are becoming rare, the southern reaches of the Mississippi River still contain visible populations. Turtles, including snapping turtles and the endangered Blandings turtle, swim in the waters of the Mississippi. Larger water mammals such as muskrat, beaver, and river otter can also be spotted by the watchful boater.The hits keep comin-: Missourians opposed to river-taming effort