The city of New Orleans straddles the Mississippi River and was at one time the fifth largest city in the United States. Several sections of the city lie below sea level, a factor making the city vulnerable to flooding. New Orleans has felt the effects of five destructive hurricanes: George, Betsy, Camille, Georges, and Katrina.
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Procambarus clarkii - The red swamp crayfish is a freshwater crustacean endemic to the warm waters of the Gulf Coast, but can be found in a wide area stretching from Northern Mexico to the Florida panhandle and as far inland as Illinois. The red swamp crayfish is a fast growing and hardy specimen able to survive through mild droughts and one of the few crayfish able to tolerate low level saline waters. It has been accidentally or deliberately introduced to several other regions and continents; it is regarded as an invasive species.
