Threatened and Endangered Species

A Citico darter fish is nestled on the stream floor among the rocks.

NPS Photo

The following park species are federally listed as Threatened or Endangered:

Mammals
• Gray Bat, Myotis grisescens - threatened
• Northern long-eared Bat, Myotis septentrionalis - threatened
• Indiana bat, Myotis sodalis - endangered
• Carolina northern flying squirrel, Glaucomys sabrinus coloratus - endangered

Fish
• Citico darter, Etheostoma sitikuense - endangered
• Smoky madtom, Noturus baileyi - endangered
• Yellowfin madtom, Noturus flavipinnis - threatened

Arthropods
• Rusty-patched bumble bee, Bombus affinis - endangered
• Spruce-fir moss spider, Microhexura montivaga - endangered
• Monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus - Proposed threatened

Plants
• Spreading avens, Geum radiatum - endangered
• Virginia spiraea, Spiraea virginiana - threatened
• Rock gnome lichen, Gymnoderma lineare - endangered

Read more about the history and current status of the threatened and endangered species of Abrams Creek.

The following species have been extirpated from the park:

• Gray wolf, Canis lupus - endangered mammal
• Red wolf, Canis rufus - endangered mammal
• Eastern puma or cougar, Felis concolor couguar - endangered mammal
• Spotfin chub, Erimonax monachus - threatened fish
• Picoides borealis, Red-cockaded Woodpecker - endangered bird

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Many species in the park have no State or Federal designation but are considered rare and/or vulnerable. Some species like the Little Brown Bat and Tri-colored Bat have experienced population declines by over 95% in the last 10 years.

Mammals
• Eastern small-footed bat
• Little brown bat
• Tri-colored bat

Birds
• Henslow's Sparrow
• Olive-sided Flycatcher
• Cerulean Warbler
• Red Crossbill
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
• Golden-winged Warbler
• Cape may Warbler
• Canada Warbler
• Bay-breasted Warbler
• Eastern Meadowlark
• Rose-breasted Grosbeak
• Chimney Swift
• Chuck-will widow
• Eastern Whip-poor-will
• Northern Harrier
• Belted Kingfisher
• Red-headed Woodpecker
• Veery
• Woodthrush
• Scarlet Tanager

Amphibians
• Eastern hellbender, Cryptobranchus alleganiensis
• Seepage salamander, Desmognathus aeneus
• Junaluska salamander, Eurycea junaluska

Reptiles
• Northern pine snake, Pituophis melanileucus melanileucus

Fish
• Olive darter, Percina squamata
• Tennessee dace, Phoxinus tennesseensis

Mussels
• Cumberland monnacinshell, Medionidus conradicus
• Tennessee clubshell, Pleurobema oviforme
• Tennessee pigtoe, Pleurnaia barnesiana

Plants
• Fraser fir, Abies fraseri
• Cain's reed grass, Calamagrostis cainii
• Mountain bittercress, Cardamine clematitis
• Smoky Mountain manna grass, Glyceria nubigena
• Blue Ridge catchfly, Silene ovata
• American ginseng, Panas quinquefolius

Snails
• Big-tooth covert, Fumonelix jonesiana
• Clingman covert, Fumonelix wheatleyi clingmanicus

Insects
• Nine-spotted lady beetle, Coccinella novemnotata
• Yellow banded bumble bee, Bombus terricola
• Yellow bumble bee, Bombus fervidus
• American bumble bee, Bombus pensylvanicus

Please remember while you explore the park to leave everything as you found it, take nothing but pictures and memories, and leave only your footprints.