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Calling something exotic makes it sound attractive,
but exotic plants or animals, also known as non-natives,
often harm their new environment, changing the habitat
and displacing the species that originally lived there.
Here are some steps you can take
to avoid helping invaders reach new habitats in Missouri.
European zebra mussels
have become a major problem in some U.S. waterways,
but we’re doing our best to control their spread in Missouri.
This task is made more difficult because, in their early stages,
zebra mussels are nearly invisible.
By touch, they feel like grains of sand
or grit attached to a surface.
You can guarantee you’re not transporting them
by cleaning your boat and trailer
before moving from one body of water to another.
Wash the boat, trailer, all parts of the motor
and fishing equipment with hot water and bleach.
And be sure to empty bait buckets and live wells on dry land
before refilling them with fresh water.