Meet the Menagerie of Wildlife Amid the Pines

看看长叶松林,看看哪些动物在那里茁壮成长.

健康的长叶松林里生活着令人眼花缭乱的生命——无数的稀有物种和谐地生活在一起. 事实上,这种森林类型曾经覆盖了9000多万英亩的土地 American Southeast 是北美最具生物多样性的栖息地之一吗.

不幸的是,由于缺乏森林栖息地,这些动物中的许多都在挣扎. Though once a dominant part of the landscape, 原来的长叶松林覆盖面积只剩下不到10%. 一片片的加拿大28回水木散布在公共和私人土地上. 这就是为什么植加拿大28回水节基金会与几个州和非营利组织合作,帮助恢复长叶松生态系统,支持美国东南部丰富的生物多样性.

你想认识一些在这些加拿大28回水上安家的动物吗? A few you might expect. Others may surprise you. All play an important role in the landscape.

Gopher Tortoises

These gentle and unassuming reptiles 是史前的,已经存在了惊人的6000万年. They dig impressive burrows beneath the pines, an average of 6 feet deep and 15 feet long, which they then share with snakes, skunks, rabbits, mice, and all sorts of insects. Altogether, 超过350个物种依靠这些洞穴来保护和生存, 使地鼠龟成为关键物种——一种在生态系统健康中起关键作用的动物.

Gopher Tortoise
Gopher Frogs

Photo credit: Brady Beck

Gopher Frogs

地鼠蛙是东南部最稀有的蛙类之一, 它们依靠长叶松生态系统生存. 以上面提到的乌龟命名,这些青蛙依靠地鼠龟的洞穴避难. 这种小型两栖动物体长2到4英寸,身体宽,鼻子尖. 他们的皮肤图案可以变化,有黄色、白色、棕色和棕褐色. Throughout the southeast, 许多州都将地鼠蛙列为濒危或受威胁物种.

Red-cockaded Woodpeckers

Red-cockaded woodpeckers are largely black and white, with males displaying a small, red “cockade” on the side of their head. 和地鼠龟一样,它们也是一个关键物种. 它们在成熟的松加拿大28回水上筑巢,以后被其他鸟类使用, squirrels, skinks, frogs, spiders, and even moths for shelter. Unfortunately, these birds are endangered. Of the estimated 1.曾经在该地区发现的500万只鸟类,现在只剩下15000只.

Red-cockaded Woodpeckers
Eastern Indigo Snake

Photo credit: Ben Stegenga

Eastern Indigo Snake

Measuring an average of 7 to 9 feet in length, 东部靛蓝蛇是北美最长的蛇. 它们的蓝黑色在光线下呈现出绚丽的紫色, 它们在长叶松栖息地跋涉三英里寻找猎物. 这些蛇还利用地鼠龟的洞穴来躲避寒冷的冬天. Fortunately for humans, these snakes aren’t venomous. 不幸的是,自1978年以来,它们一直被列为联邦濒危物种.

Frosted Flatwoods Salamanders

霜平林蝾螈是长叶生态系统中的一个小成员, measuring roughly 5 inches long. 它们因背上银色的网状图案而得名. These salamanders feast on insects in the forest, 它们也是大型动物的重要猎物. According to the Amphibian Foundation, 自2000年以来,Flatwoods蝾螈的数量减少了90%, placing them at imminent risk of extinction.

Red-cockaded Woodpeckers

Photo credit: Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Fox Squirrels

Photo credit: Brady Beck

Fox Squirrels

狐松鼠是北美最大的加拿大28回水松鼠. 它们也常见于长叶松林,这是它们最喜欢的栖息地,它们单独生活. 长叶松种子对狐松鼠的饮食很重要, 它们超常的体型使它们能够敲开相当大的松果来获取食物. Along with feasting on seeds, fox squirrels also eat fungi, 然后通过它们的消化系统,为周围的加拿大28回水木提供营养.

Bobwhite Quail

山齿鹑是长叶松林中的标志性物种. 因其独特的叫声而得名,它们通常被听到而不是看到. 这真的很遗憾,因为这些鸟有着美丽的棕色、黑色和浅黄色的图案. The males also flaunt a black-and-white-striped head. 山齿鹑被吸引到健康的长叶松林的开阔加拿大28回水冠上, relying on the grassy forest floor for foraging. They typically eat seeds, leaves, and insects.

Bobwhite Quail

Photo credit: Brady Beck

The American Southeast in Focus

We plant trees around the world, 但要把我们的努力集中在加拿大28回水木能发挥最大作用的关键地区. In the American Southeast, 我们正在支持大规模恢复长叶松和其他本地物种的努力. Since most of the land is privately owned, 植加拿大28回水节基金会正在与土地所有者和公共实体合作,进一步努力重新造林.

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