A Vibrant Ecosystem: Wildlife of the Mississippi River 

Beneath the slow and steady waters of the Mississippi River lies a vibrant ecosystem teeming with life. From ancient sturgeon to playful otters, the river is home to a vast array of species, and is a major global river system in terms of size, habitat diversity and biological productivity

The Mississippi stretches over 2,340 miles from Lake Itasca in Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists have catalogued at least 879 wildlife species, per Friends of the Mississippi River, and continue to learn new things about these creatures. The overall biodiversity of the Mississippi River serves an important purpose, according to Wetlands Systems Manager for the Missouri Department of Conservation Frank Nelson.

"It's really critical because healthy habitats contribute significantly to healthy people, whether it's clean water or clean air," said Nelson.

But many never see the amazing spectrum of life in the Mississippi, and experts say understanding its many inhabitants can help protect the river, improving life for the humans that live along its banks.

Fish

The lake sturgeon is a piece of living history, and representative of the trials many species face. On a fall day near the river town of Louisiana, Missouri, Missouri Conservationist magazine photographer Noppadol Paothong peers beneath the shimmering surface of the Mississippi River as one emerges from the murk. He snaps the photo. 

“To see the fish, and go look at the fossil, and it still looks exactly the same. It's amazing to see, and something people don't get to see every day,” said Paothong. “And you learn to appreciate it.”

Lake sturgeon struggled in the late 1800s and early 1900s, as commercial harvesting hurt populations, and dams cut spawning habitat. Harvests were regulated by the late 1900s, per the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and dam removal and policy changes have helped restore them.

All told, the Mississippi River is home to more than 120 fish species below St. Anthony Falls in Minnesota, which includes paddlefish, several catfish, walleye, alligator gar, common carp, freshwater drum, sturgeon, bluegill, largemouth bass, gizzard shad and more. Some fish migrate over long distances to complete their life cycles - a testament to the river's important role as a connected habitat for wildlife at a continental scale. 

Shellfish

Critical to the health of the Mississippi River are various mussels - wartyback, mapleleaf, pimpleback, deertoe, giant floater - whose curious names reflect their unique biology. These creatures filter water to gather food, which cleans the water, and eventually provide nourishment for larger animals.

Similarly, shrimp and crayfish play a quiet but important role in the river's complex ecological system by eating dead and decaying plants and animals, and being eaten themselves.

Birds

Astounding numbers of birds flock to the Mississippi, and it serves as a major artery for at least 325 species. The river is part of the Mississippi Flyway designated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which 40% of shorebirds and waterfowl use during migration. 

That’s millions of birds, from songbirds to ducks, even raptors, per the Lower Mississippi River Conservation Committee. Wetlands lining the river serve as crucial rest stops, providing food and shelter to recharge on their long journeys.

Reptiles & Amphibians

Turtles, like the alligator snapping turtle, various snakes, frogs and salamanders all call the river home. Amphibians use wetlands to survive, keeping their skin moist. This includes leaf litter, woody material, small mammal burrows, boulders and cracks in rocks, per the National Park Service.

Insects 

Insects such as mayflies, dragonflies and beetles live the larval part of their lives within the waters of the river, emerging and feeding birds and fish, and even spiders.

Changing Landscape 

But for its many inhabitants the river is constantly changing, and continues to be transformed by people. 

“The Mississippi River has been drastically altered, and basically narrowed and streamlined,” said Nelson. “Just the conversion of forest wetlands and the stream itself has minimized the extent of native habitats.”

Today it is engineered by a complex network of levees, locks, dams, and other structures designed to improve navigation or prevent flooding. This reshaping has come at a cost for the delicate web of life that once thrived along its floodplain. While these measures protect communities, floods also replenish wetlands and support critical habitat. The natural variability also acts as an environmental cue for species, triggering behaviors like migration or spawning. 

Threatened, Endangered and Invasive Species

Some residents of the river are newer, and less welcome. Invasive carp can comprise 95% of the biomass in parts of the river, feeding on plankton that native species need. 

American eel populations, considered endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, has struggled and stabilized at a historic low. Once overfished and still threatened by habitat loss, dams prevent them from traveling to the Sargasso Sea to breed. These structures also impact paddlefish and blue sucker, and crystal darter and skipjack herring.

Changes in the river have also drastically impacted mussel populations. The Higgins eye pearly mussel is threatened by habitat loss, degradation and exotic species like invasive zebra mussels, per U.S. Fish and Wildlife. 

“I think we have done a lot to bring back some of these species, which is good,” said Mark Wagner, volunteer and former director of education at the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium. “Not all of them will return, but I think our awareness of the river and helping to protect it is getting better. So that's a positive sign.”

Conservation

Biodiversity in the Mississippi River is a key sign of environmental health, and serves as a major economic driver for state economies around the basin. But it’s also a source of creative inspiration for artists and conservationists. That’s part of why photographer Noppadol Paothong works to document and share images of the amazing animals that live in the river. 

“I want to share with people in Missouri about our beautiful natural resources and what we have here in Missouri, and in some sense what we're losing,” said Paothong. “I want people to be aware how beautiful they are. Whether it’s the landscape or insects or birds or fish or anything, I want my photographs to speak for them because, because let's face it, these animals, they can't speak for themselves.” 

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