How a Tiny Shrimp Became a State Symbol

Every year, Josh Craner, a teacher at Emerson Elementary School in Salt Lake City, Utah, takes his sixth-grade class to visit the Great Salt Lake. It’s the largest saltwater lake in the United States. It’s also home to an amazing little animal known as the brine shrimp. This critter is the only animal species that spends its whole life in the lake’s water—which can be five times as salty as seawater!

Brine shrimp play a critical role in the Great Salt Lake’s ecosystem, a community of organisms interacting with their physical environment. But over the past several years, Craner and his students have witnessed something concerning: The lake is shrinking, putting the entire ecosystem in jeopardy.

In 2022, Craner’s class decided to raise awareness about the Great Salt Lake’s threatened ecosystem. That led the students on a two-year mission to get its primary animal resident—the brine shrimp—recognized as Utah’s official state crustacean.

Every year, Josh Craner takes his sixth-grade class to the Great Salt Lake. Craner is a teacher at Emerson Elementary School in Salt Lake City, Utah. The lake is the largest saltwater lake in the United States. An amazing little animal lives there. It’s known as the brine shrimp. This is the only animal that spends its whole life in the lake’s water. That water can be five times as salty as seawater!  

Brine shrimp are important to the Great Salt Lake’s ecosystem. That’s a community of organisms along with their physical environment. But over the past several years, Craner and his students have witnessed a problem. The lake is shrinking. And that puts the entire ecosystem in danger. 

Craner’s class wanted to raise awareness about the Great Salt Lake’s threatened ecosystem. So in 2022, the students started on a two-year mission. The lake’s main animal resident is the brine shrimp. The students wanted it named Utah’s official state crustacean. 

As the class studied the lake, they learned about brine shrimp. Shrimp are crustaceans, a group that also includes crabs and lobsters. Brine shrimp grow to about 0.5 inches (1.3 centimeters) long. They feed on algae and microorganisms in the lake.

Brine shrimp are an important food for birds. “Birds stop at the lake to eat brine shrimp during their migration,” says Jameson. The class learned that one bird species, called the eared grebe, relies on the shrimp as its only food source during its fall migration through Utah.

Brine shrimp also support an important industry. During reproduction, they release egg-like cysts. These cysts are harvested and exported around the world as food for farmed fish, as well as some pet fish in home aquariums. This business brings in nearly $60 million each year for the state.

But the shrinking lake puts the brine shrimp and their ecosystem at risk. When salinity is too high, algae populations decline. That means shrimp have less food. Brine shrimp also grow and reproduce more slowly. Beyond a certain salt level, shrimp can’t survive.   

The class asked Butler what else they could do to spread the word about the lake and its brine shrimp. She recalled a college student who had told her that some states have official state crustaceans—in addition to the more familiar state mammals and birds. Maybe brine shrimp could be Utah’s state crustacean. Craner’s class loved the idea (see More State Animals Chosen by Kids).

The class studied the lake and learned about brine shrimp. Shrimp are crustaceans. This group also includes crabs and lobsters. Brine shrimp grow to about 0.5 inches (1.3 centimeters) long. They eat algae and microorganisms in the lake. 

Brine shrimp are an important food for birds. “Birds stop at the lake to eat brine shrimp during their migration,” says Jameson. The class learned about a bird called the eared grebe. In the fall, it migrates through Utah. The shrimp are its only food at that time.  

Brine shrimp also support an important industry. They release egg-like cysts when they reproduce. These cysts are harvested and exported around the world. They’re used as food for farmed fish, plus some pet fish in home aquariums. Each year, the state makes nearly $60 million from this business. 

But the brine shrimp and their ecosystem are at risk. That’s because of the shrinking lake. When salinity is too high, algae populations drop. That means shrimp have less food. Brine shrimp also grow and reproduce more slowly. They can’t survive past a certain salt level.   

The class wanted to do more to tell people about the lake and its brine shrimp. So they asked Butler for other suggestions. She remembered something that a college student had told her. States usually have official state mammals and birds. But some states also have state crustaceans. Maybe brine shrimp could be Utah’s state crustacean. Craner’s class loved the idea (see More State Animals Chosen by Kids).

In 2022, the students prepared an online petition to get support for their proposal to make brine shrimp the state crustacean. “Our class gathered facts about brine shrimp,” says Jameson. They mentioned the shrimp’s importance to migrating birds, as well as its economic role in Utah. The petition garnered 1,250 signatures. “This project connected everyone,” says Jameson.

A representative in the state House of Representatives agreed to sponsor the students’ proposal. Three students went to the State Capitol to present the bill to a committee of lawmakers. It passed the House, but the legislative session ended before the state Senate was able to vote on it.

Undaunted, Craner’s incoming class the following year started the process again: a petition, a sponsor, speeches to the state legislature, including one by Jameson. This time, the proposal passed the House and the Senate. They’d done it!

The class celebrated with a cake featuring a brine shrimp. Utah’s governor signed the bill into law in March 2023, making brine shrimp the official state crustacean. Jameson says the experience showed that “whatever age or size you are, you can have a big impact.” The class hopes their achievement raises awareness about the importance of protecting the lake—down to its tiniest residents.

The students needed support for their proposal to make brine shrimp the state crustacean. So in 2022, they prepared an online petition. “Our class gathered facts about brine shrimp,” says Jameson. They mentioned the shrimp’s importance to migrating birds, plus its economic role in Utah. The petition got 1,250 signatures. “This project connected everyone,” says Jameson. 

A representative in the state House of Representatives sponsored the students’ proposal. Three students went to the State Capitol. They presented the bill to a committee of lawmakers. It passed the House. But the legislative session ended before the state Senate could vote on it. 

The next year, Craner’s incoming class didn’t give up. They started the process again. The class got a petition and a sponsor. They made speeches to the state legislature, including one by Jameson. This time, the proposal passed the House and the Senate. They’d done it! 

The class celebrated with a cake that featured a brine shrimp. In March 2023, Utah’s governor signed the bill into law. Brine shrimp became the official state crustacean. Jameson says the experience showed that “whatever age or size you are, you can have a big impact.” The class hopes their success raises awareness about the lake. They want people to see that protecting it is important, down to its tiniest residents.

_{This article was originally published in the May 2024 issue.}