Christopher Kennedy

Ecological restoration projects have come and gone over the years. Some have succeeded and others have failed. The projects that have succeeded in the long run have one element in common: society decided to adopt and support the fundamental concepts of the restoration project. The Missouri Department of Conservation's (MDC) Alligator Gar Restoration project began with almost immediate support for various reasons. This was not by accident. MDC involved the Missouri public in a variety of ways to gain social acceptance for a species that had been hated for decades. Our presentation will...

We performed a literature review on alligator gar (Atractosteus spatula). It revealed that habitat loss and over-harvest has caused this species to decline throughout the southern United States. The literature contained information about range, status, growth, sex determination, ecological roles in various habitats, and the public's perception of this fish. This information leads us to believe that alligator gar could be successfully reintroduced at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge. A fish community sample will be conducted prior to releasing alligator gar into Mingo NWR. We will employ a...