The canal travels from the coastal plain of Washington, DC, to the mountains of western Maryland. The many habitats along that journey from sea level to the mountains rank C&O Canal among the most biodiverse national parks.
Find out why these underwater filter feeders are important indicators of ecosystem health.
Raccoon peeking out of tree
NPS/Gerald Elkin
Keep wildlife wild! Please enjoy and observe wild animals from a distance. Photograph all wildlife from a safe distance. Use telephoto lenses and observe quietly. Animals can be very protective of their young and can become aggressive if cornered.
It is dangerous and illegal to feed wild animals, including ducks and geese, in national parks. Wildlife can become dependent on handouts and lose their ability to forage for food. Such animals can lose their fear of humans and become threatening.
Some animals found in the Park can carry rabies. If you encounter an animal that is acting strangely (for example, a nocturnal raccoon seen during the day) or an animal has attacked you, immediately report it to our emergency Dispatch Center, at 866-677-6677. Please visit the CDC website to learn more about rabies.
Species checklist
Species Attribute Definitions
Definitions
Occurrence
Occurrence values are defined below. One or more Occurrence Tags may be associated with each Occurrence value.
Present: Species occurs in park; current, reliable evidence available.
Probably Present: High confidence species occurs in park but current, verified evidence needed.
Unconfirmed: Species is attributed to park but evidence is weak or absent.
Not In Park: Species is not known to occur in park.
Occurrence Tags
Adjacent: Species is known to occur in areas near to or contiguous with park boundaries.
False Report: Species was reported to occur within the park, but current evidence indicates the report was based on misidentification, a taxonomic concept no longer accepted, or other similar problem of error or interpretation.
Historical: Species' historical occurrence in park is documented. Assigned based on judgment as opposed to determination based on age of the most recent evidence.
Abundance
Abundant:
Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, and counted in relatively large numbers.
Plants: Large number of individuals; wide ecological amplitude or occurring in habitats covering a large portion of the park.
Common:
Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, but not in large numbers.
Plants: Large numbers of individuals predictably occurring in commonly encountered habitats but not those covering a large portion of the park.
Uncommon:
Animals: Likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season. May be locally common.
Plants: Few to moderate numbers of individuals; occurring either sporadically in commonly encountered habitats or in uncommon habitats.
Rare:
Animals: Present, but usually seen only a few times each year.
Plants: Few individuals, usually restricted to small areas of rare habitat.
Occasional:
Animals: Occurs in the park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year.
Plants: Abundance variable from year to year (e.g., desert plants).
Unknown: Abundance unknown
Nativeness
Native: Species naturally occurs in park or region.
Non-native: Species occurs on park lands as a result of deliberate or accidental human activities.
Unknown: Nativeness status is unknown or ambiguous.
List Differences
The Checklist contains only those species that are designated as "present" or "probably present" in the park.
The Full List includes all the checklist species in addition to species that are unconfirmed, historically detected, or incorrectly reported as being found in the park. The full list also contains species that are "in review" because their status in the park hasn't been fully determined. Additional details about the status of each species is included in the full list.
The checklist will almost always contain fewer species than the full list.
Locations:Acadia National Park, Catoctin Mountain Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Death Valley National Park, Devils Tower National Monument, Fire Island National Seashore, Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Great Basin National Park, Jewel Cave National Monument, Joshua Tree National Park, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Mojave National Preserve, Prince William Forest Park, Rock Creek Park, Shenandoah National Park, Wind Cave National Parkmore »
Bats are amazing animals and a formidable force against insect pests, but a nasty fungal disease is killing them. A coordinated national response brings hope.
Locations:Antietam National Battlefield, Catoctin Mountain Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, National Capital Parks-East, Prince William Forest Park, Rock Creek Park, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Artsmore »
Chickadees are some of the most common birds in the National Capital Region. Both Carolina chickadees and black-capped chickadees can be found in NCR parks. Learn more about these birds and how they're sometimes hard to tell apart.
Locations:Acadia National Park, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Antietam National Battlefield, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Bluestone National Scenic River, Booker T Washington National Monument, Catoctin Mountain Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Colonial National Historical Park, Crater Lake National Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Devils Postpile National Monument, Eisenhower National Historic Site, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Gauley River National Recreation Area, George Washington Memorial Parkway, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, Gettysburg National Military Park, Grand Teton National Park, Haleakalā National Park, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Lassen Volcanic National Park, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Marsh - Billings - Rockefeller National Historical Park, Minute Man National Historical Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, Morristown National Historical Park, Mount Rainier National Park, National Capital Parks-East, New River Gorge National Park & Preserve, North Cascades National Park, Olympic National Park, Petersburg National Battlefield, Prince William Forest Park, Richmond National Battlefield Park, Rock Creek Park, Sagamore Hill National Historic Site, Saint-Gaudens National Historical Park, Saratoga National Historical Park, Saugus Iron Works National Historic Site, Sequoia & Kings Canyon National Parks, Thomas Stone National Historic Site, Valley Forge National Historical Park, Weir Farm National Historical Park, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts, Yellowstone National Park, Yosemite National Parkmore »
Offices:Eastern Rivers and Mountains Inventory & Monitoring Network, Greater Yellowstone Inventory & Monitoring Network, Inventory and Monitoring Division, Mid-Atlantic Inventory & Monitoring Network, National Capital Inventory & Monitoring Network, North Coast and Cascades Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northeast Coastal and Barrier Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northeast Temperate Inventory & Monitoring Network, Pacific Island Inventory & Monitoring Network, Rocky Mountain Inventory & Monitoring Network, Sierra Nevada Inventory & Monitoring Networkmore »
From coast to coast, the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Division is helping park managers improve the health and function of forest ecosystems. From promoting resilient forests in the Northeast, to conserving whitebark pine in the West, to protecting Hawaiian forest birds from avian malaria, scientific partnerships are helping parks to share information, leverage funding sources, and work together for outcomes that extend beyond what any park could accomplish on its own.
Locations:Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Cape Lookout National Seashore, Catoctin Mountain Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site, National Capital Parks-East, Prince William Forest Park, Rock Creek Park, Upper Delaware Scenic & Recreational River, Valley Forge National Historical Parkmore »
Parks are a great place to appreciate turtles in their natural habitat. NPS is now studying at-risk land turtles in the Mid-Atlantic to better understand how to help them survive into the future.
Locations:Abraham Lincoln Birthplace National Historical Park, Acadia National Park, Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, American Memorial Park, Amistad National Recreation Area, Anacostia Park, Aniakchak National Monument & Preserve, Antietam National Battlefield, Apostle Islands National Lakeshore, Appalachian National Scenic Trail, Appomattox Court House National Historical Park, Arches National Park, Arkansas Post National Memorial, Assateague Island National Seashore, Aztec Ruins National Monument, Badlands National Park, Bandelier National Monument, Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site, Big Bend National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Big Hole National Battlefield, Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area, Big Thicket National Preserve, Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area, Biscayne National Park, Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park, Blackstone River Valley National Historical Park, Blue Ridge Parkway, Bluestone National Scenic River, Booker T Washington National Monument, Bryce Canyon National Park, Buffalo National River, Cabrillo National Monument, Canaveral National Seashore, Cane River Creole National Historical Park, Canyon de Chelly National Monument, Canyonlands National Park, Cape Cod National Seashore, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Cape Lookout National Seashore, Capitol Reef National Park, Capulin Volcano National Monument, Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site, Carlsbad Caverns National Park, Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, Catoctin Mountain Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Chaco Culture National Historical Park, Channel Islands National Park, Charles Pinckney National Historic Site, Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, Chickamauga & Chattanooga National Military Park, Chickasaw National Recreation Area, Chiricahua National Monument, City Of Rocks National Reserve, Colonial National Historical Park, Colorado National Monument, Congaree National Park, Coronado National Memorial, Cowpens National Battlefield, Crater Lake National Park, Craters Of The Moon National Monument & Preserve, Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, Cumberland Island National Seashore, Curecanti National Recreation Area, Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Death Valley National Park, Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area, Denali National Park & Preserve, Devils Postpile National Monument, Devils Tower National Monument, Dinosaur National Monument, Ebey's Landing National Historical Reserve, Effigy Mounds National Monument, Eisenhower National Historic Site, El Malpais National Monument, El Morro National Monument, Eleanor Roosevelt National Historic Site, Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site, Everglades National Park, Fire Island National Seashore, Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, Fort Bowie National Historic Site, Fort Caroline National Memorial, Fort Davis National Historic Site, Fort Donelson National Battlefield, Fort Frederica National Monument, Fort Laramie National Historic Site, Fort Larned National Historic Site, Fort Matanzas National Monument, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Fort Pulaski National Monument, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National Historical Park, Fort Union National Monument, Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, Fort Washington Park, Fossil Butte National Monument, Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park, Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Gates Of The Arctic National Park & Preserve, Gateway Arch National Park, Gauley River National Recreation Area, George Washington Memorial Parkway, George Washington Birthplace National Monument, George Washington Carver National Monument, Gettysburg National Military Park, Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, Glacier National Park, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Golden Spike National Historical Park, Grand Canyon National Park, Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, Grand Portage National Monument, Grand Teton National Park, Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, Great Basin National Park, Great Falls Park, Great Sand Dunes National Park & Preserve, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Greenbelt Park, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Guilford Courthouse National Military Park, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument, Haleakalā National Park, Harmony Hall, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, Home Of Franklin D Roosevelt National Historic Site, Homestead National Historical Parkmore »
Offices:Inventory and Monitoring Division, Natural Resource Stewardship and Science Directorate, Northeast Coastal and Barrier Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northeast Temperate Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northern Colorado Plateau Inventory & Monitoring Network, Northern Great Plains Inventory & Monitoring Network, Pacific Island Inventory & Monitoring Network, Rocky Mountain Inventory & Monitoring Network, San Francisco Bay Area Inventory & Monitoring Network, Sierra Nevada Inventory & Monitoring Network, Sonoran Desert Inventory & Monitoring Network, South Florida Caribbean Inventory & Monitoring Network, Southeast Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network, Southeast Coast Inventory & Monitoring Network, Southern Colorado Plateau Inventory & Monitoring Network, Southern Plains Inventory & Monitoring Network, Southwest Alaska Inventory & Monitoring Network, Upper Columbia Basin Inventory & Monitoring Networkmore »
To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation.
Locations:Antietam National Battlefield, Catoctin Mountain Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Greenbelt Park, Harmony Hall, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, National Capital Parks-East, Oxon Cove Park & Oxon Hill Farm, Piscataway Park, Prince William Forest Park, Rock Creek Parkmore »
Amphibians are a crucial part of both aquatic and land ecosystems, and National Capital Region parks are home to at least 20 different amphibian species. Learn how amphibian populations are changing based on more than fifteen years of NPS monitoring by the National Capital Region Inventory & Monitoring Network.
Locations:Antietam National Battlefield, Catoctin Mountain Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Greenbelt Park, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, National Capital Parks-East, Piscataway Park, Prince William Forest Park, Rock Creek Parkmore »
Explore how forest interior breeding birds are faring in National Capital Region (NCR) parks. These species prefer the shadiest and quietest core of the forest landscape and are excellent indicators of a healthy forest ecosystem. We look at data on wood thrush, ovenbird, Kentucky warbler, Louisiana waterthrush, hooded warbler, and scarlet tanager from a report summarizing population trends for forest birds in NCR parks.
Locations:Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park
The C&O Canal's Potomac Gorge area is rich with a wide variety of frogs and salamanders. From wood frogs and red-spotted newts to marbled salamanders and toads, these amphibians are part of what makes the Potomac Gorge (the area around Great Falls) a unique and treasured place.
Locations:Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Great Falls Park, National Capital Parks-East, Rock Creek Park
Inside the Washington Beltway lies a portion of the Potomac Gorge, a haven for thousands of animals and plants. Some are yet to be described.
Locations:Antietam National Battlefield, Baltimore-Washington Parkway, Catoctin Mountain Park, Chesapeake & Ohio Canal National Historical Park, George Washington Memorial Parkway, Greenbelt Park, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens, Manassas National Battlefield Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, National Capital Parks-East, Piscataway Park, Prince William Forest Park, Rock Creek Park, Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Artsmore »
Habitat fragmentation is a major threat to amphibian communities, especially in National Capital Region parks at risk due to the region's growing urbanization.
