A champion for wildlife: Recognizing Bob Anderson
Every year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service celebrates the contributions and achievements of our nationally recognized Recovery Champions. These individuals have devoted themselves to recovering endangered and threatened animals and plants.
Robert “Bob” Anderson has been selected as a 2018 Recovery Champion for his efforts with at-risk and listed wildlife in Pennsylvania. Bob is the assistant field supervisor at the Pennsylvania Field Office and is widely recognized for his leadership in conservation of freshwater mussels, bog turtles, Indiana bats and northern long-eared bats.
In partnership with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, Bob improved habitat for 70 different small populations of bog turtles on private lands under federal easements in Pennsylvania. The bog turtle is the smallest turtle in the U.S. and also one of the rarest. This tiny turtle is native to the eastern half of the country, and its habitat is threatened by development and invasive plants. The bog turtles benefit from habitat improvements, and the improvements make the land more useful for owners, too.
One of those landowners was having trouble with grazing on his farm in Berks County, Pennsylvania. The wetland on the property was overgrown with trees, making it unusable by cattle. The trees also blocked the sun, causing the bog turtles to bask on the open road and risk being hit by passing cars. With the help of the Partners for Fish & Wildlife program, a fence was installed, trees were removed, and the land transformed into useable farmland and ideal bog turtle wetlands.
“People like being able to help the environment when they can, and working with these people who are in a position to help is very satisfying,” Bob said.
Pennsylvania bats are also benefiting from Bob’s dedication. Bats across the country are battling habitat loss as well as white-nose syndrome, caused by a harmful fungus that attacks bats while they hibernate. In an effort to provide clean and suitable habitat, a commercial cave in Huntington, Pennsylvania,was transformed back to a natural bat dwelling, and biologists are hopeful that Indian Caverns will soon be home to at-risk and protected species of bats, including the Indiana and northern long-eared bats.
Bob’s commitment to conserving turtles and bats only scratches the surface of his work in Pennsylvania. Bob’s expertise truly lies with freshwater mussels, though he admits he was originally tricked into studying mussels in graduate school.
“I applied to graduate school in Tennessee to study bass, but when I got there, I was told I’d be studying freshwater mussels instead. Since then, they’ve truly become my passion,” Bob said. He spent this time in Tennessee traveling, getting to know mussel species, and becoming familiar with the work.
There are seven species of freshwater mussels in Pennsylvania that are federally endangered, and even more that are at risk of becoming endangered. Some of these small populations are the last on the planet, and Bob and his staff along with U.S. Geological Survey and state partners work to ensure that the populations grow.
“The northern riffleshell and clubshell mussels have very low populations and are very hard to find.” Bub explained. “To supplement their populations with captive reared animals has been vital to their survival in the region.”
Together, their work to develop captive rearing and relocation techniques has contributed to new populations of these mussels in seven different states outside of Pennsylvania since the program began in 2009. He also helped support and plan water quality studies and research to develop innovative survey methodologies, such as eDNA, which can detect the presence of mussels through water testing.
Additionally, Bob helps other biologists in their endangered species work, which includes consulting with federal agencies on conservation, assessing species’ statuses, and planning conservation for freshwater mussels, particularly when projects may have negative impacts on them. He also serves as an instructor for the Service’s National Conservation Training Center, teaching two courses in freshwater mussel identification and conservation.
“The most rewarding part of working for the Service on freshwater mussels is knowing that these species are living where they historically have been and are once again have a part in the ecosystem,” Bob said.
The Recovery Champion award was presented to Bob in recognition of his achievements in conserving listed species. His dedication and role in the recovery of threatened and endangered species is a great model and representation of the work being done throughout the Northeast Region. For photos and information about the 2018 Recovery Champions, click here.
