Monthly Archives: October 2022

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Wildlife of Alabama

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The US state of Alabama has a varied topography ranging from steep hills to fertile flatlands, lakes, and rivers. The state has a coastline on the Gulf of Mexico that includes 600 miles of tidal bay and bayou shoreline. Within Alabama, there are over 60 types of natural habitats, including forests, woodlands, wetlands, glades, and prairies. For most of the year, the weather is warm and humid, and snowfalls are rare.

There are more than 4,500 documented species in Alabama. Among these animals are 62 native mammals, 22 species of rodents, 16 bat species, 4 rabbit species, one marsupial – the opossum, and 433 bird species.

Rodents in the state include gray squirrels, fox squirrels, chipmunks, and southern flying squirrels.

In the coastal waters are sharks, strange fish like the Clymene dolphin, and common marine mammals like the killer whale and California sea lion.

Bat species include the Mexican free-tailed bat, eastern red bat, and evening bat.

One of the strangest animals in Alabama is the nine-banded armadillo.

Official State Animal

North American black bear

Official State Amphibian

Red Hills salamander

Places to see animals

Eufaula National Wildlife Refuge has 11,000 acres of wildlife and wetlands. Here you can see many of the state’s wildflowers. Among the wildlife are alligators, white-tail deer, great blue herons, and wood ducks.

In the marshes are turtles, crayfish, frogs, and minnows.

The Alabama Wildlife Center is the oldest and largest rehabilitation center in the state for injured and orphaned wild birds. The center conducts educational sessions with live birds so people can learn about barred owls, red-tailed hawks, and other raptors.

The Dauphin Island West End Acquisition Project is an 840- acre stretch of coastline protecting dunes, marshes, and beaches. Two of the rarest shorebirds nest here the piping plover and red knot.

Bon Secours National Wildlife Refuge is a protected area for the Alabama beach mouse and other threatened species.

Alligators in Alabama have become popular tourist attractions. People enjoy taking swamp tours to see them up close. Alligator Alley in Dauphin is a railed boardwalk letting visitors view alligators safely from a distance.

Endangered Animals

Rice’s whale, a species of baleen whale, native to the Gulf of Mexico.

Alabama beach mouse is one of the rarest mouse species in the world.

Appalachian cottontail is found only in northern Alabama.

Marsh rabbit

Continued conservation efforts will help protect endangered animals that help those ecosystems stay healthy.

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Wildlife of Colorado

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The US state of Colorado is known for having some of the most towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains. The state has eight distinct ecosystems varying from grassland to forest to wetlands and semi-desert shrublands evoking from the deserts of the neighboring state of New Mexico.

Large grazers such as bison and bighorn sheep make their home in the state. There are vicious predators like bears, foxes, and mountain lions. Like in the other Mountain States such as Montana and Wyoming most notable herbivores also include elk and moose.

Among smaller creatures are prairie dogs that create tunnels that are used by about 150 different animals and beavers who play a critical role in the wetlands ecosystem.

Official State Animal

Rocky Mountain Bighorn Sheep

Official State Bird

Lark Bunting

The best places in the state to see elk are the Horseshoe and Morain sections of Rocky Mountain National Park.

You can see bison just outside of the city of Denver at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. The refuge is also home to coyotes, mule deer, and bald eagles during the winter season.

To enjoy birds take the South Platte River Trail in the winter where you can enjoy bald eagles. Birds here all year round are kestrels and red-tailed hawks.

State Forest State Park is known as the “Moose Capital” of Colorado. Other animals here are beavers, foxes, and black bears.

Bighorn sheep are most common at the Great Sand Dunes National Park. Here you can also see rodents like ground squirrels. Among the big predators are coyotes and bobcats.

Endangered Species

Bighorn Sheep

Bison

Black-footed ferret

Wolverine

Kit Fox