THREATS & STRESSORS

Dr. Bernie Kuhajda in the field discussing the plight of the endangered Barrens Topminnow as an important population is threatened by drought conditions.

Just forty-five years ago, rivers in the U.S. were so polluted that some actually burned. In response, our country created the Clean Water Act amid other strong environmental legislation. Today, two-thirds of our population has never known a time when clean water wasn’t readily available. Despite improvements in the quality of drinking water, freshwater animals and habitats in the southeastern U.S. remain among the most imperiled on Earth. We have become complacent with institutional protections and haven’t challenged our personal behaviors. How can we solve the freshwater crisis starting in our own backyard? Dr. Anna George, Director of the Tennessee Aquarium Conservation Institute (TNACI), discovered early in life that being a biologist provided a good excuse to be outside. She enjoys teaching students of all ages about biodiversity and conservation through camps, field excursions, university classes, and outreach lectures. Recent awards for her work include the Outstanding Fisheries Scientist Award from the Tennessee Chapter of the American Fisheries Society, the Audubon/Toyota TogetherGreen Fellowship, and the Heroic Environmentalist Award from Appalachian Voices. Her work has been featured by Dr. Sanjay Gupta on CNN and Alexandra Cousteau and Zeb Hogan through National Geographic. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx

On July 27, 2015, whirling disease was confirmed in rainbow trout collected from Watauga River in Watauga County– the first occurrence of the disease in North Carolina. Whirling disease affects fish in the trout and salmon family with rainbow and brook trout, two species found in North Carolina waters, being the most susceptible. The disease, caused by the microscopic parasite Myxobolus cerebralis, damages cartilage and skeletal tissue in trout, causing them to swim in a whirling motion. Additional test results and more information about whirling disease in North Carolina will be posted as it becomes available: ncwildlife.org/WhirlingDisease