Tales from the Interns: Rusty Crayfish
What are rusty crayfish?
Rusty crayfish are a non native, invasive species of crayfish which was introduced to northern states through anglers who used them as bait. These anglers were releasing their leftover crayfish. Those crayfish were able to spread and make their way into locations like the Mianus River (begins in North Castle and flows through Bedford) and the estuaries in the surrounding area.
The rusty crayfish is native to the Ohio River Basin and the surrounding states. This breed of crayfish is extremely aggressive compared to native species. Additionally, sometimes rusty crayfish mate with native species and the resulting offspring are sterile. This is damaging to native crayfish populations.
How do we protect our ecosystem from rusty crayfish?
We capture the rusty crayfish in traps set around the Sanctuary. We then remove them from the wild to protect our ecosystem. They are kept inside the museum here at the Sanctuary. Drop by to get a first hand look at this invasive species.
~ Vinny, Head Intern
Research Project: Aquatic Macroinvertebrates & Water Quality
