Wildlife

Freshwater Pearl Mussel: Critically Endangered UK Species

The freshwater pearl mussel is one of the most endangered animals in Britain with most populations critically small.

Key Facts

Freshwater pearl mussels can live over 130 years making them one of the longest-lived animals
UK populations declined by 97 percent in the 20th century from poaching and pollution
They require juvenile salmon as hosts for their larvae called glochidia
Pearl mussels need extremely clean nutrient-poor fast-flowing rivers
Trading in freshwater pearls from wild mussels has been illegal since 1998

Welfare Considerations

Pearl mussels suffer from multiple threats to their welfare. Water pollution from agricultural runoff smothers their feeding apparatus. Illegal pearl poaching kills animals that may be over a century old. Loss of host salmon populations due to barriers and disease breaks the reproductive cycle. Climate-driven river warming causes physiological stress and reduces spawning success in salmon hosts.

What You Can Do

Support the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation restoration of salmon host populations
Report suspected illegal pearl mussel poaching to police wildlife officers
Campaign for stricter control of agricultural pollution in rivers supporting pearl mussels
Donate to river restoration projects that include pearl mussel habitat improvement
Join the Freshwater Biological Association citizen science monitoring programmes