FAQs
Frequently asked questions
What is the Brown Marsh phenomenon? What is the Brown Marsh phenomenon?
Sudden marsh dieback events are not uncommon and have occurred in coastal marshes from the Gulf of Mexico to Maine. Brown Marsh is a term given to the unusually rapid and extensive browning of Louisiana’s saltwater marsh grass Spartina alterniflora, commonly known as oyster grass or smooth cordgrass. One of the most severe events occurred in 2000, when over 100,000 hectares (ha) of salt marsh were...
Why are wetlands important? Why are wetlands important?
Wetlands provide habitat for thousands of species of aquatic and terrestrial plants and animals. Wetlands are valuable for flood protection, water quality improvement, shoreline erosion control, natural products, recreation, and aesthetics. Wetlands are among the most productive habitats on earth providing shelter and nursery areas for commercially and recreationally important animals like fish...
What is chronic wasting disease? What is chronic wasting disease?
Chronic wasting disease (CWD) is a fatal, neurological illness occurring in North American cervids (members of the deer family), including white-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, and moose. Since its discovery in 1967, CWD has spread geographically and increased in prevalence locally. CWD is contagious; it can be transmitted freely within and among cervid populations. No treatments or vaccines are...
What are the differences between endangered, threatened, imperiled, and at-risk species? What are the differences between endangered, threatened, imperiled, and at-risk species?
Under the Endangered Species Act (ESA), plant and animal species may be listed as either endangered or threatened. “Endangered” means a species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. “Threatened” means a species is likely to become endangered within the foreseeable future. States have their own ESA-type laws, so species can have different Threatened...
Do alligators and crocodiles exist together anywhere in the world? Do alligators and crocodiles exist together anywhere in the world?
The American crocodile ( Crocodylus acutus) lives in several places within the Americas, including Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and south Florida. The American alligator ( Alligator mississippiensis) is also found in south Florida, among other places. South Florida is the only place you can find both animals in the wild. To distinguish the two, alligators have a more U-shaped...
Can snakeheads still be purchased for food purposes? Can snakeheads still be purchased for food purposes?
Dead snakehead fish--on ice or frozen--can be imported for food purposes to any state except those where importation or possession of dead snakeheads is illegal. Live snakeheads of one species that are being cultured in Hawaii (but not exported to the United States mainland) are available in one market in Honolulu. Hawaii regulations require that all fish must be killed and their gills removed...
How did snakehead fish get into the United States? How did snakehead fish get into the United States?
Prior to being added to the list of injurious wildlife under the Lacey Act in 2002, which banned import and interstate transport without a permit from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, snakeheads were sold in pet stores and in live food fish markets and some restaurants in several major U.S. cities, including Boston, New York, and St. Louis. Live specimens have been confiscated by authorities in...
What are snakeheads? What are snakeheads?
Snakeheads are air-breathing freshwater fishes that are not native to North America. In scientific terms, snakeheads are divided into two distinct genera: Channa (snakeheads of Asia, Malaysia, and Indonesia) Parachanna (African snakeheads) In the summer of 2002 and again in late spring 2004, Channa argus, the northern snakehead, generated national media attention when anglers caught this fish in a...
What are the potential effects of snakeheads to our waters? What are the potential effects of snakeheads to our waters?
During all of their life stages, snakehead fish compete with native species for food and habitat. A major concern is that snakeheads might out-compete (and eventually displace) important native or other established predatory fish that share the same habitat. As adults, snakeheads can be voracious predators. Should snakeheads become established in North American ecosystems, their predatory behavior...
What should be done with a captured snakehead fish? What should be done with a captured snakehead fish?
If you capture a snakehead fish: Do not release the fish or throw it up on the bank (it could wriggle back into the water). Remember, this fish is an air breather and can live a long time out of water. Kill the fish by freezing it or putting it on ice for an extended length of time. Photograph the fish if you have access to a camera so the species of snakehead fish can be positively identified...
Where do snakeheads live? Where do snakeheads live?
Snakeheads are freshwater fishes with little, if any, tolerance for saltwater. Within their native and introduced ranges, they live in small and large streams, canals, rivers, ponds, reservoirs, and lakes. Many species can tolerate a wide range of pH, and one species living in Malaysia and parts of Indonesia prefers highly acid waters (pH 2.8-3.8). The northern snakehead and several other species...
What is the Federal Government doing about snakehead fish? What is the Federal Government doing about snakehead fish?
Two agencies within the Department of the Interior (DOI) are responsible for researching and regulating snakeheads: the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS). As the research arm of the DOI, the USGS has conducted extensive, worldwide research on snakeheads that provides a basis for regulating the importation and interstate transport of those fish in the United...