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Endangered Species of the Smoky Mountains
By Bob Foster of American Patriot Getaways
The Smokies is one of America's heavens for wildlife. However, even in this closely protected area, there are a number of species whose existence has been brought close to extinction. So when you visit the park, remember to be respectful and careful towards its fragile inhabitants. • Myotis Sodalis Indiana bat
• Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus Carolina northern flying squirrel
• Picoides borealis Red-cockaded woodpecker
• Microhexura montivaga Spruce-fir moss spider
• Erimonax monachus Spotfin chub (fish)
• Etheostoma percnurum Duskytail darter (fish)
• Noturus baileyi Smoky madtom (fish)
• Noturus flavipinnis Yellowfin madtom (fish)
• Geum radiatum Spreading avens
• Spiraea virginiana Virginia spiraea
• Gymnoderma lineare Rock gnome lichen For some species it is, sadly, too late. The following aminals no longer exist in the wild in the Smokies. • Canis lupus Grey wolf
• Canis rufus Red wolf
• Felis concolor couguar Eastern puma or cougar The species listed below are on the Federal Species of Concern list, which means that although their numbers have reduced there are still opportunities to save them from endangerement: • Ammodramus henslowii Henslow’s Sparrow
• Contopus cooperi Olive-sided Flycatcher
• Dendroica cerulean Cerulean Warbler
• Loxia curvirostra Red Crossbill
• Poecile atricapillus Black-capped Chickadee
• Sphyrapicus varius Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
• Vermivora chrysoptera Golden-winged Warbler
• Myotis leibii Eastern small-footed bat
• Sorex palustris Water shrew
• Sylvilagus obscurus Appalachian cottontail
• Cryptobranchus alleganiensis Eastern hellbender
• Desmognathus aeneus Seepage salamander
• Eurycea junaluska Red-cheeked salamander
• Percina squamata Olive darter
• Phoxinus tennesseensis Tennessee dace
• Abies fraseri Fraser fir
• Calamagrostis cainii Cain’s reed-bent grass
• Cardamine clematitis Mountain bittercress
• Glyceria nubigena Smoky Mountain manna grass
• Silene ovata Blue Ridge catchfly Obviously unless you are a wildlife specialist, you are unlikely to recognize these species in the wild. For that reason, it is advisable to bring a wildlife guide in pictures or, if you own a smartphone, download one of the many wildlife apps, so you can discern the species when you see them. This will not only help you minimize the damage but will also allow you to appreciate their precious beuaity more. In general, the best advice for a Smokies hiker is to minimize the waste that you leave behind and not disrupt what you find in the wild by taking it with you. Help preserve the park and its many species for the generations to come by being just a little more aware of the environment around you. Learn more about eco-friendly tourism in the Smokies by visiting our website at www.PatriotGetaways.com and clicking through to the blog.
Born and raised in the Smoky Mountain region, Bob Foster became a passionate expert on this part of the country even as a child. Years later Bob turned that childhood passion and expertise into a profession when Bob became a general manager for the family business that specializes in rentals of Gatlinburg cabins and Pigeon Forge cabins, both towns being in the heart of the Smokies. The company motto is "Creating guests for life by offering an experience of a lifetime" and it is with that thought in mind that Bob started a blog fully dedicated to information about the Smokies, which can be found at blog.patriotgetaways.com.
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http://blog.patriotgetaways.com/
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Interesting information. Are you suggesting that tourism has put these species at risk? Or are you suggesting that some other cause has put these species at risk?
CONTRIBUTOR'S REPLY
I am suggesting that irresponsible tourism (when visitors leave trash behind and generally disrespect the natural habitat of native Smokies species) probably contributed to some of the problems. Although I am sure it's a whole complex of issues that resulted in some of the species being lost.
The copyright for this content entitled "Endangered Species of the Smoky Mountains" has been specified by the contributor as:
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http://bobfoster.qondio.com/
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