Freshwater mussels are among the most endangered animal groups globally. Their welfare as filter feeders depends on water quality and host fish populations essential for their reproduction.
Freshwater mussel welfare is complex given their limited nervous system and uncertain sentience. However, their ecological welfare role is immense — mussel beds filter water that supports the welfare of fish, amphibians, and invertebrates in their catchments. Their decline removes this filtration capacity, degrading ecosystem quality for countless species. Conservation of freshwater mussels protects the water quality that all freshwater animal welfare depends on. From a welfare perspective, this is an indirect but high-leverage intervention point.