Stories from - MINNESOTA
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Endangered Mussels Gain Ground in Twin Cities
The stretch of the Mississippi River that winds through Minnesota's Twin Cities is now home to four federally endangered mussel species. This reach of the river wasn't always... Read More
Stories from - MINNESOTA
View All StoriesReturning the Higgins eye Pearlymussel, Nature's Silent Sentinel
Freshwater mussels are often referred to as "silent sentinels" in streams and rivers. Their abundance indicates water quality is good, while their decline or absence sends an alarm... Read More
Featured Species in Minnesota
Prairie bush clover
Prairie bush clover is a federally threatened prairie plant found only in the tallgrass prairie region of four Midwestern states.
Prairie bush clover.
Photo credit: Phil Delphey, USFWS
Higgins eye pearlymussel
The Higgins eye is a freshwater mussel of larger rivers where it is usually found in areas with deep water and moderate currents. Its range includes the upper Mississippi River, the St. Croix River between Minnesota and Wisconsin, the Wisconsin River in Wisconsin, and the lower Rock River between Illinois and Iowa. More »
Higgin's eye pearlymussel.
Photo credit: USFWS
Canada lynx
The Canada lynx is a medium-sized cat, similar to the bobcat. It has longer legs and very large well-furred paws, impressive adaptations for maneuvering through deep winter snow. While their name suggests otherwise, the historical and present North American range of the Canada lynx includes Alaska, Canada, and many of the other northern 48 states.
Canada lynx.
Photo credit: Michael Zahra
Great Lakes piping plover
The Great Lakes population of the piping plover was at a perilously low level. But intensive conservation efforts have seen the number of breeding pairs steadily climb from a low of 12 in 1983.
Great Lakes piping plover.
Photo credit: Gene Nieminen, USFWS
Winged mapleleaf
The range of the winged mapleleaf once included 13 states where it was found in nearly all rivers and streams feeding into the Mississippi River and in one river flowing into the Missouri River. Today however, the mussel can only be found in limited areas of five rivers in the Midwestern United States.
Winged mapleleaf.
Photo credit: Phil Delphey, USFWS
Partnership Stories in Minnesota
Wolf Recovery in Minnesota
The wolf's range expansion into north central and central Minnesota was due to protection from unregulated killing afforded by the Endangered Species Act, high deer numbers, and dispersal of individuals from existing packs. Today, wolves live in areas with higher road and human densities than previously believed suitable for wolf survival. More »
Found in Minnesota
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The Minnesota dwarf trout lily (Erythronium propullans) is a forest wildflower that grows within a small area in Minnesota – in Goodhue, Rice, and Steel Counties – and nowhere else in the world. The rarity of the dwarf trout lily is probably best explained by its unusual mode of reproduction. Unlike many flowering plants that reproduce by seed, the dwarf trout lily grows instead from an underground bulb that renews itself annually.
Photo credit: Tamara Smith, USFWS -
The Higgins eye pearlymussel (Lampsilis higginsii) is a freshwater mussel of larger rivers, where it is usually found in areas with deep water and moderate currents. The animals bury themselves in the sand and gravel river bottoms and siphon water for microorganisms as algae and bacteria, which they use as food. The species' current range is about 50 percent of its historic distribution, which once extended as far south as St. Louis, Missouri, and in several additional tributaries of the Mississippi River.
Photo credit: USFWS