Restoration of the flushing tunnel, and the resulting increase in oxygen levels in the canal, have supported the return of some aquatic life. Within months of the reopening of the flushing tunnel in 1999, John C. Muir of the Brooklyn Center for the Urban Environment observed pink jellyfish, blue crabs, and a variety of fish. By 2009, white perch, herring, striped bass, and anchovies were living in the waterway. In 2014, the Gowanus Canal Conservancy reported that herons, egrets, bats, and Canada geese were living nearby. However, individuals and populations of wild animals living in the Gowanus Canal may be at risk for reproductive problems. Creatures living in the canal generally have a below-average life expectancy compared to members of the same species living elsewhere in New York Harbor.