On August 25, 2009, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources gets a call about small lobsters crawling around a neighborhood pond in Germantown. The extent of the problem is more than anyone bargained for. Here’s the story of the first red swamp crayfish introduced into Wisconsin.

Special thanks to our guests:

Tim Campbell, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Pete Jopke, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Tim Zabel, initial sighter

Heidi Bunk, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Scott Van Egeren, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources

Doug and Mary, Esquire Estates residents

Jake Vander Zanden, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Erin Vennie-Vollrath, (former) University of Wisconsin-Madison

Chris Hamerla, Golden Sands Resource Conservation & Development

Stephanie Peay, Independent crayfish researcher

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Red Swamp Crayfish