Freshwater mussels are among the most endangered animal groups in the world, and their conservation raises important questions about invertebrate welfare and ecosystem services.
While the sentience of bivalve mollusks remains scientifically uncertain, the ecological importance of freshwater mussels is unambiguous. These animals are keystone species in river ecosystems whose loss cascades through food webs. Protecting clean, free-flowing rivers with stable substrate protects both mussel welfare under the precautionary principle and the ecosystem services they provide to every other species in their waterways. River restoration and pollution control are the most impactful conservation actions available.