Prof. Z B Mirza and his team of Kinnaird College for Women University while studying the ecological linkages of fauna and flora of Chashma Barrage pond area under a WWF Pakistan funded
project, found extraordinarily large sized Freshwater Mussels on 9th February 2012. These Freshwater Mussels are more than 19 cm long and 11 cm in width. Smaller sized shells were greatly abundant. These invertebrate animals belonging to the Phylum Molluska are found in the bottom mud of the ponds. They play important role in the fresh water pond habitats by eating algae, zooplankton and organic waste. So, they convert organic matter into simple nutrients and also decrease the concentration of suspended particles from water through their
filtration process. They are also part of the food of many types of fishes and birds. Their abundant presence indicates the healthy pond water habitat of Chashma Barrage.
