GEORGIA, USA — A new report shows two mussels that were found in Georgia are listed as extinct, according to a U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service news release.
The agency displayed a list of 21 species that were delisted from the endangered species list because they became extinct.
Two Georgia mussels -- southern acornshell and upland combshell -- both made the extinction list. They were also found in Alabama and Tennessee.
According to the agency, the last time the mussels were spotted were in the 1970s and 80s.
The agency added that the two species were last collected in the Conasauga River in Georgia during the time they were last seen.
Officials added that they are delisting the species after numerous scientific studies. Serval rivers were drained to determine if the species still existed, but neither of the two mussels showed up, the report stated.
In 2021, the two mussels were on a proposed list of extinction from the U.S. Department of the Interior. The FWS finally granted the extinctions and delisted the species.
Although these species are being listed as extinct, FWS officials still hope to save and recover other endangered species.
“Federal protection came too late to reverse these species’ decline, and it’s a wake-up call on the importance of conserving imperiled species before it’s too late,” said Service Director Martha Williams. “As we commemorate 50 years of the Endangered Species Act this year, we are reminded of the Act’s purpose to be a safety net that stops the journey toward extinction. The ultimate goal is to recover these species, so they no longer need the Act’s protection.”
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