Florida Wetlands Extension Program

Wetland Wildlife

Though wetlands are most often associated with waterfowl and bird species, they provide essential habitat for a wide variety of species — birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and insects — up to 45 percent of which are rare and endangered. The high rate of wetland loss has contributed to the endangered status of many species. Some species, such as the wood duck and muskrat, spend most of their life within wetlands, while others, such as striped bass, peregrine falcon, and deer, occasionally visit wetlands for food, water, or shelter. Those species that require wetland habitat to complete at least a portion of their life cycle are called obligate species.⁽¹⁾

A juvenile alligator swimming in a wetland

Why are wetlands favored by so many species? They attract wildlife for a number of reasons:⁽¹⁾

- - their vegetative cover provides shelter from predators;
  - they provide ideal nesting conditions for many waterfowl;
  - they provide migratory birds with a safe stop-over location to rest during long migrations;
  - they provide essential spawning and nursery habitat for commercially important fish and shellfish;
  - many have an extensive, complex food chain that supports numerous species, including man.

_{1. "A World in Our Backyard: Wetland Functions." U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Wetlands Division Wetlands Education Materials.}

Local Field Guides

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Threatened, Endangered, and Exotic Species

Federal List of Threatened and Endangered Animals

List of endangered and threatened species as published in the Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants.

Florida's Endangered Species, Threatened Species, and Species of Special Concern

Florida’s imperiled species that meet criteria to be listed as federally endangered, federally threatened, or State-designated Threatened.

Florida Exotic Wildlife

Fact sheets on exotic and naturalized wildlife species and breakdown of species listings by county. Includes statewide and county statistics of exotic species. Fact sheets include population estimates and explains threats to native species.