Michigan's Most Endangered ~ LW, GM, HK

There are a lot of endangered species just in Michigan. There are 28 endangered species in a lot of varieties. There are plants, mammals, muscles, insects, sea creatures, and other land animals. We need to help them, all of them. We can help them in many different ways, and all you need to do is keep reading. If you want to see more information about the animals that are endangered, go to USFWS: Endangered Species in Michigan

Mammals
The mammals that are endangered are Gray Wolves, Canadian Lynx, Indiana Bat, and Northern Long Eared Bat. They are threatened by poachers and their habitats being destroyed. Some Gray Wolves live in the northern forests of Michigan. The latest information online said that there are only 6 Gray Wolves left in the Upper Peninsula. The Canada Lynx is also threatened as it lives in the upper peninsula and its habitats are being threatened. The Canada lynx is protected under the Endangered Species Act as a threatened species. Both species are also being hunted by poachers.

Reptiles
There are only two species of reptiles that are threatened or endangered in Michigan. The first one is the Copperbelly Water Snake. It isn’t venomous, but it will bite you. It eats frogs and tadpoles and sometimes toads and salamanders. They are found in southern Michigan, northeastern Indiana and northwestern Ohio.The second listed reptile is the Eastern Massasauga. It is small and thick bodied. It eats mice, voles, lizards, birds, and bird eggs according to Massasauga Rattlesnake - Snake Facts. It lives in Michigan, southern Ontario, and central New York.

We hope you can understand how important animals are to the planet, and if a species goes extinct then that could mess up part of the ecosystem. For example, if the falcon became extinct, the species that it ate(the mouse and snake)would start increasing and soon get out of hand. Every action has an impact on something. Here is what a nature center worker said about how we can help the animals survive, “With some animals it’s OK because of overpopulation, and it can also not be OK because of endangerment.” It was also said by a nature lover, “We need to be more careful with habitat conservation and if we destroy a habitat then we should try to fix it.”