The rise of the gold clam

An invasive species has taken hold in the Waikato River - and it’s multiplying fast. Gold clams, tiny but relentless, are now found along a large stretch of the awa. Through their huge, and growing, numbers they may threaten water infrastructure, and native species. Claire Concannon joins freshwater scientist Dr Michelle Melchior to see the scale of the invasion and learn how researchers are racing to understand and control it - from suffocating clams with underwater mats to investigating new ways to stop their spread.