How biodiverse is West Virginia?
GHENT, WV (WVNS) — The Mountain State is a wild and wonderful place, but how biodiverse is West Virginia?
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West Virginia is home to a wide array of wildlife, animals, plants, and fungi. You will also find an abundance of different species of amphibians and reptiles, mammals, fish, birds, plants and fungi, and much more. So let’s explore this wonderful state and learn about the natural gifts it provides.
Mammals
Currently, there are 74 species found right here in the Mountain State, according to WVDNR. Some are more familiar than others, such as white-tailed deer or a black bear. Others, such as the northern flying squirrel only show themselves at night. Out of the 74 species that reside here, 67 are native and seven are non-native. Mammals that went extinct in the state are the bison, mountain lion, and gray wolf. Beavers, fishers, and otters were reintroduced into the ecosystem in the 1930’s and 1985, and the fisher was reintroduced in 1969. Elk were brought back into the state into southwestern West Virginia in 2016. A population of wild boar exists in Boone, Logan, Raleigh and Wyoming counties today.
Aquatic Life
The Mountain State is also home to a wide array of aquatic animals such as fish. Fishing in the West Virginia is very popular and people love to identify what they caught. One such fish is the Rainbow Trout. Rainbow Trout come in various colors such as brown and black to olive and blue green and have brassy to purple iridescent stripe lengthwise down both sides of their body, giving them that rainbow sheen. Although Rainbow Trout were brought into the state, they are native to Pacific Northwest and American Pacific side, with a rather extensive range from both regions. Another noticeable fish in the state is the Blue Catfish. These fish are silvery-blue in color and have a straight, comb-like anal fin. This fish is also a native of the Ohio River, in which restocking of this fish have probably helped fishing areas within the West Virginia portions of the Ohio River according to WVDNR.
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Birds
This state is home to an extensive amount of birds, such as Swainson’s Warblers. These Birds reach their northernmost breeding grounds in the Cumberland Mountains. Olive-sided Flycatchers and Nashville Warblers usually reside in the Allegheny Mountains location for nesting. With over 12 million acres of forests, the Mountain State is extremely important to different species of birds, says WVDNR.
Amphibians and Reptiles
The Division of Natural Resources says the Mountain State is home to 15 species of frogs and toads. Frogs and toads are amphibians in the order Anura. They are differentiated by their skin. Frogs usually have smooth skin, while toads have warty skin and spend more time on land. Both lay their eggs in the water. The three toad species here include the Eastern spadefoot, Eastern American toad, and Fowler’s toad. The Mountain State also has 34 species of salamanders. Salamanders are amphibians in the order Caudata. Their skin must remain moist and are long-bodied, low to the ground, lack claws, have tails, no scales. These animals also lay eggs as well. The Cheat Mountain salamander and the West Virginia spring salamander are two main species in the state, says the WVDNR.
Trees and Shrubs
According to the WVDNR, Northern Hardwood Forests, which are made up of trees that lose their leaves and other shrubs and herbs usually grow together at more northern latitudes. Other trees of this species include the American Beech, Red Maple, and Yellow Birch. They mainly reside in the Allegheny Mountains, in the western half of the Monongahela National Forest. Upland Hemlock Hardwood Forests according to the WVDNR, are mixed evergreen forests that lose their leaves and are mixed with the eastern hemlock species. They are also most common in the Allegheny and Cumberland Mountains. The Pawpaw is another species in the Mountain State that has a trunk that grows 9 to 36 feet tall and bears fruit described as a pulpy berry, which has a sweet smell, and edible when the fruit turns brown, says WVDNR. Another species of shrub is Greenbriers. These can be recognized as climbing vines with woody stems, and contains spines or prickles, with leaf stems that contain a pair of coiling tendrils that support the vine. This shrub also bears fruit, according to WVDNR.
Exotic Species, Endangered Species, and Elk Restoration
In late December 2016, with the release of 24 elk secured from the Land Between the Lakes Recreation Area (LBL) in western Kentucky, for the first time in 140 years, wild elk roamed the mountains of West Virginia, according to WVDNR. When it comes to exotic and invasive species in the Mountain State, the WVNDR says most of the species of plants and animals do not create problems for the native species within the state. However, some species are invasive and will compete with newer species, with the newer species sometimes losing the battle. West Virginia is also a permanent home to 22 federally endangered species, 17 of which are animals and four are plants. Seven are federally threatened species, five of which are animals and two are plants, says WVDNR. The species in our state are always being protected and conserved.
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For the Mountain State, we want to achieve a healthy environment for the Appalachians landscape. Everyday, people of this wild and wonderful state strive to make our environment and conservation stronger. We want to share this vision with generations to come. Solutions and resolutions are always being made to make the land greater.
If you want to discover more biodiversity in the Mountain State, please visit the WVDNR website.
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