Tennessee Ecological Services Field Office

10/06/2026

🎃👻 It’s spooky season… and what’s scarier than ghosts?

How about a fish so rare, so mysterious, and so frightfully endangered that it haunts only a handful of streams in Tennessee?

Meet October’s Endangered Species of the Month: The Laurel Dace

The Laurel dace (Chrosomus saylori) is a small, brilliantly patterned fish found only in a few streams on the Cumberland Plateau. Pollution, sedimentation, and habitat fragmentation threaten its last remaining homes. When we protect clean, free-flowing streams and adequate riparian protection, we protect the Laurel dace and the whole freshwater ecosystem. Clean water helps everyone—wildlife and people alike.

📸: Endangered laurel dace being bagged for release to the wild; Makenzie Foster, USFWS

09/28/2026

Clinch River mussels are shell‑ebrating!

Earlier this summer, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and USFWS biologists discovered a new occurrence of the Spectaclecase (Cumberlandia monodonta) in the Clinch River.

While we’ve known this species occurs both upstream and downstream of this site, this precise location is completely new — and a genuinely exciting piece of information that helps us better understand its distribution and recovery potential.

Even better: 24 individual Spectaclecase mussels made their way back to the Cumberland River Aquatic Center (CRAC) this week, where they’ll support ongoing propagation work and host fish trials.

A huge thank‑you to all partners whose dedication makes discoveries like this possible. Conservation wins like this are the result of teamwork, persistence, and passion for our aquatic ecosystems!

📸: Spectaclecase collected at the new Clinch River site, TWRA, Brittany Bajo-Walker

09/16/2026

Another exciting discovery!

While surveying the Buffalo River this year, biologists from Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, Tennessee Valley Authority, and the Tennessee Field Office (TNFO) rediscovered the cracking pearlymussel (Hemistena lata) — a species last seen alive in the Buffalo River in 1965!

This find didn’t happen by chance. The effort was sparked by TWRA’s 2025 benthic blitz, where biologists first found shell material from the species. That clue helped launch a focused, collaborative search — and it paid off!

This discovery increases the known populations of the cracking pearlymussel from two to three — a huge win for conservation and a hopeful sign for the species’ recovery.

📸: A cracking pearlymussel, USFWS, Andy Ford
📸: Biologists from TVA, TWRA, and USFWS showing off their find, TWRA, Brittany Bajo-Walker

09/09/2026

Named for the distinctive cracks and ridges on its shell, the cracking pearlymussel once persisted in the Cumberland, Tennessee, and Ohio river systems. Today it survives only in a few small stretches of river.

Sedimentation, water pollution, and habitat fragmentation remain major threats. Safeguarding streams and restoring natural river flows are key to giving this mussel a future.

📸: USFWS, Andy Ford

08/26/2026

Some of TNFO's biologists participated in Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency 's Benthic Blitz recently!

Across 123 sites in the Caney and Collins River systems, an impressive 74 species and nearly 9,700 individual animals were documented, including several species of greatest conservation need.

It’s incredible to see conservation in action across the state, benefiting both imperiled and non‑imperiled species alike. TNFO is proud to be part of the work and partnerships that keeps Tennessee’s aquatic ecosystems thriving. 🐟🦞

08/18/2026

We love seeing conservation in action! Removing old dams—like Readyville Dam—restores habitat for native species and creates cleaner, safer, more connected rivers for people to enjoy. Healthy rivers benefit wildlife and communities alike!👏

The Readyville Dam removal is a reminder that restoring natural river systems benefits both wildlife and people.

08/11/2026

Don't fear..... a new Endangered Species of the Month is here!

During the month of August, we are highlighting the bluemask darter (Etheostoma akatulo)! The bluemask darter gets its name from the vivid blue markings that males display during breeding season. It lives only in a few clean, fast-flowing streams, making it extremely sensitive to pollution. Protecting streamside vegetation and reducing runoff help preserve the crystal-clear waters this colorful fish depends on.

📸: Mariah Letowt, USFWS

08/06/2026

Another discovery!?

Plant conservation is on a roll!

USFWS Partners Biologist Robby Cogburn recently visited a property in Grundy County with Quail Forever Biologists Kris Oja and Macon Girdley. The intent of the visit was to check out how the site was responding after a prescribed fire, with the hope of seeing the federally threatened White Fringeless Orchid, or at least suitable habitat for it.

And that they did!

But they didn't just find habitat or a few White Fringeless Orchids..... Instead they found over 2,000!!! The discovery of this new population is HUGE because this is now one of the top 5 largest White Fringeless Orchid occurrences!

Through Quail Forever’s great work, along side the landowner, a White Fringeless Orchid haven has been created!

Discovery of new federally listed species occurrences is always exciting, but it is even more exciting when there are great partners and great landowners that make such an impact on recovering these rare species!

Quail Forever Tennessee Quail Forever

📸: Robby Cogburn, USFWS

07/22/2026

We loved seeing all the love for Pyne’s ground-plum on our last post! USFWS Partners biologist Robby Cogburn recently returned to the newly discovered site and shared an update on current site conditions.

07/10/2026

In April 2025, USFWS Private Lands Biologist Robby Cogburn was visiting a landowner in Wilson County when he came across a plant that made him think someone was pulling an April Fools’ prank.

It turned out to be anything but a joke — he had discovered a new population of federally endangered Pyne’s ground-plum!

Until this find, Pyne’s ground-plum was only known to naturally occur in Rutherford County, making this new Wilson County population an exciting and significant discovery.

Thanks to a strong partnership between the landowner, the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, Quail Forever, and the Missouri Botanical Garden, restoration work is now underway to improve the property’s limestone glades. Seed collection efforts have also begun to help safeguard this rare and remarkable species.

A big win for conservation in Tennessee! 🌱✨