Wildlife officials: Wyoming still free of invasive mussels

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — Wildlife officials believe Wyoming remains free of invasive zebra mussels three months after the mollusks turned up in aquarium products shipped into the state.

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department and state Department of Agriculture have been using DNA testing to monitor sewer systems for zebra mussels and the similarly invasive quagga mussel.

The species have overpopulated waters in other states, clogging water systems and destroying native wildlife habitat.

Wyoming is among just a handful of states still free of the mussels native to Eurasia and introduced to the U.S. in ship ballast in the 1980s.