Endangered Species: Meet Some Illinois Animals On The List

Now that it's springtime in Illinois, we'll be seeing more and more animals that disappear during the winter months. With that in mind, let me throw a question your way:

If I asked you to guess the total number of Illinois' animals that are listed on the Endangered Species List, what number would you come up with?

If you guessed that there are over 100 animals on that list, congratulations...not that over 100 endangered animals is anything to congratulate anyone about.

If there's any good news in knowing that 100-plus animals in Illinois are endangered, I guess it would be the fact that none of Illinois' endangered animals make the list of the top ten most endangered animals in the United States.

EcoWatch.com's list of the most endangered animals in the United States includes:

1. Florida Panther
2. Florida Manatee
3. Red Wolf
4. California Condor
5. Black-Footed Ferret
6. Loggerhead Sea Turtle
7. San Joaquin Kit Fox
8. Mississippi Gopher Frog
9. Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
10. Woodland Caribou

But, like I said earlier, none of Illinois' animals make the list of the United States top ten most endangered animals.

Taking A Look At The List Of Illinois' Endangered Animals, I've Noticed That There Are A Few That I've Never Seen Before, Even Though I've Lived In Illinois All My Life

My grandfather grew up on a farm outside of Byron back in the early part of the last century, and he claimed that as a child he often heard wolves howling at night (keep in mind he was born in 1903), and it scared the hell out of him.

The good news is that kids living around the Byron area no longer hear wolves howling at night, the bad news is that it's because they've become very rare. I've never seen one in the wild in Illinois.

According to A-Z-Animals.com, scientists believe that at one time there were over 2 million gray wolves throughout the United States, but over-hunting and the destruction of their habitats have made them endangered here in Illinois.

Then, We Have Franklin's Ground Squirrel

Since the squirrels are listed as endangered, Illinois state government has declared that the mishandling, capture, or lethal removal of these squirrels by humans is strictly prohibited and illegal.

Next On The List Comes The Short-Eared Owl

A-Z-Animals.com says that the Short-Eared Owl is one of the most unique birds in the world, but it's also very endangered here in Illinois. At one time, the Short-Eared Owl was the single most abundant bird species in Illinois.

To check out the Illinois Department of Natural Resources list of every endangered or threatened animal or plant species in our state, click here.