Vermont’s landscape is a mosaic of woods, fields, wetlands and mountains and is rich with wildlife. Did you know Vermont has:

  • 268 species of birds;

  • 94 species of fish;

  • 61 mammals;

  • 42 reptiles and amphibians; and,

  • many group of invertebrates ranging from mussels, to beetles, to butterflies and isopods.

Our woods provides important habitat for many of these species. Whether you’re interested in wildlife watching, hunting, fishing, or just attracting wild animals, all Vermonters play a critical role in conserving and protecting wildlife for future generations.

Vermont’s wildlife is facing many threats.   In fact, 144 vertebrates (brook trout to peregrine falcon to bobcat and wood turtle) and 191 invertebrates (tawny emperor butterfly to cobblestone tiger beetle to the fragile papershell mussel) are identified by the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department as Species of Greatest Conservation Need. Many factors contribute to this threat from loss habitat to fragmentation of habitat by roads and increasing housing density, to emerging issues such as climate change and invasive exotic species.

Here’s what you can do: