Common Name: Alabama Waterdog, Black Warrior Waterdog
Scientific Name: Necturus alabamensis
Family: Proteidae
Location: United States – Alabama
Size: 9.5 inches total length
Waterdogs are closely related to Mudpuppies and Olms. Waterdogs keep their gills into adulthood and they possess all four limbs.
The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List assess the Alabama Waterdog as Vulnerable for Extinction. The Alabama Waterdog is a federally listed endangered species only found along the Black Warrior River Basin in Alabama. It has only just been listed by the USA as an endangered species in 2018. Pollution is a serious problem for these guys. Water qualities in the streams that they live in are decreasing from mining, agriculture, and urbanization. The streams are also becoming fragmented, meaning populations of these Waterdogs are being isolated.
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