West Virginia's Wildlife

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West Virginia's Wildlife Due to its variety of habitats, West Virginia is very high in biodiversity. The "Mountain State" harbors at least 56 species and subspecies of mammals.

This page is a hub for sharing photos and information concerning West Virginia's diverse wildlife. The state has more than 300 types of birds and more than 100 species of fish. Many common insects of the Eastern United States can be found in West Virginia; 15 species of beetles, more than 70 species of Odonate, 12 species of stonefly, and about 17 moth species. Other invertebrates include some 18

species of spider and a little over seven dozen species of cave-dwellers. Deep in the heart of the state's mountains is a unique natural botanical treasure. Along with very rare boreal plants, several species of orchids and carnivorous plants are found at Cranberry Glades Botanical Area. It provides a chance for the public to see mink, beavers, snowshoe hare, black bear with its unique flora and other fauna. Cranberry Glades is the southern-most breeding pocket for some northern breeding species of birds like the purple finch and the northern waterthrush. West Virginia's western valley contrasts the mountains with another natural treasure, the Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge. These islands serves as a habitat for great blue heron, wood ducks, cormorants, Canada geese, migrating loons, and tundra swans. The Allegheny and Cumberland Plateaus of West Virginia are predominantly covered by hardwood forests, but along the Ohio River and its principal tributaries, the valuable timber has been removed and considerable areas have been wholly cleared over the centuries for farming and pasture lands. Among the most prevalent trees of this region are the chestnut oaks, the walnut, the yellow poplar, and the cherry. Southern West Virginia contains the largest reserve supply of timber.

- Wikipedia.org

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geography_of_West_Virginia
http://www.wvdnr.gov/wildlife/wdpintro.shtm

Our state animal in a back yard! Photos submitted by Jason Hall.
22/05/2023

Our state animal in a back yard! Photos submitted by Jason Hall.

Some tiger lillies growing creek side, on a culvert, Wood County near I-77
04/07/2020

Some tiger lillies growing creek side, on a culvert, Wood County near I-77

These photos were shared by Christian Wilde and were taken on Skygusty 161.
04/07/2020

These photos were shared by Christian Wilde and were taken on Skygusty 161.

To report sightings of box turtles to the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, follow the below link and the l...
03/07/2020

To report sightings of box turtles to the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, follow the below link and the link for the survey contained therein.

http://www.wvdnr.gov/2020News/20news026.shtm

Official site of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources, WV State Parks, and WV Hunting and Fishing License

These photos were shared by Ernie Gibson and were taken near Goodwyn/Ivy area. Three have been located so far, two femal...
03/07/2020

These photos were shared by Ernie Gibson and were taken near Goodwyn/Ivy area. Three have been located so far, two female. The dark-colored underside with an oval concave area is a younger male (females do not have a concave area there for mating as males do and it becomes more pronounced with age).

30/04/2020

Why did the turtle cross the road? He had his reasons! Here is a video to help us get snappers across the road safely:

17/08/2019

The orange and blue spots on the lower wings indicate the black butterfly is a black morph Tiger Swallowtail. There is also a skipper and a Monarch in the video, I believe, but neither stopped long enough for me to confirm what they were exactly. The black butterfly is on Milkweed in the beginning of the video. (Facebook is downgrading the quality of videos upon uploading them — I apologize for this and hope to be able to upload better-quality videos in the future.)

15/08/2019

A Monarch butterfly on Wingstem this afternoon

The first box turtle I’ve seen this year, and she’s laying eggs!
02/07/2019

The first box turtle I’ve seen this year, and she’s laying eggs!

You may see them often, or you may not see them much at all, depending on if you more often frequent urban or rural area...
29/06/2019

You may see them often, or you may not see them much at all, depending on if you more often frequent urban or rural areas. They are mostly herbivorous and keep to themselves and rarely cause issues with their burrows, because their burrows tend to be quite long and deep underground.

The groundhog (Marmota monax), also known as a woodchuck, is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots.[2] It was first scientifically described by Carl Linnaeus in 1758.[3] The groundhog is also referred to as a chuck, wood-shock, groundpig,...

08/06/2018

Some tadpoles in a puddle

Tadpoles in a puddle
08/06/2018

Tadpoles in a puddle

Springtime wildflowers
22/05/2018

Springtime wildflowers

Spotted at Beech Fork State Park last week
22/05/2018

Spotted at Beech Fork State Park last week

A couple box turtles I’ve moved from danger in a roadway recently. Please remember: If/when you stop to save a turtle or...
22/05/2018

A couple box turtles I’ve moved from danger in a roadway recently.
Please remember: If/when you stop to save a turtle or other wildlife, be safe and legal; do not put yourself or others in danger to move wildlife that may suffice on their own and do not make a busy, dangerous roadway more dangerous. Keep the safety of yourself and other life, especially other motorists, in mind when making a difference for our ecosystem.

Wild violets
13/04/2018

Wild violets

Wolf spider freshly dug up
06/04/2018

Wolf spider freshly dug up

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The orange and blue spots on the lower wings indicate the black butterfly is a black morph Tiger Swallowtail. There is also a skipper and a Monarch in the video, I believe, but neither stopped long enough for me to confirm what they were exactly. The black butterfly is on Milkweed in the beginning of the video. (Facebook is downgrading the quality of videos upon uploading them — I apologize for this and hope to be able to upload better-quality videos in the future.)

A Monarch butterfly on Wingstem this afternoon

Some tadpoles in a puddle

Baby birds Video by Tonya Jonas

Jul 17, 2013 5:35pm
Jul 17, 2013 5:35pm

Snapper! To learn more about WV's common snapper: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_snapping_turtle Video courtesy Tonya Jonas

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