Skip to content
Chesapeake Bay Program logo, Science. Restoration. Partnership
    • The Watershed
    • Field Guide
    • Bay Facts
    • Bay 101 Videos
    • FAQ
    • Glossary

    Ecosystem

    • Chemical Makeup
    • Dissolved Oxygen
    • Food Web
    • Physical Characteristics
    • Estuaries
    • Water Clarity
    • All Issues

    Threats to the Bay

    • Agricultural Runoff
    • Air Pollution
    • Chemical Contaminants
    • Climate Change
    • Conowingo Dam
    • Invasive Species
    • Nutrient Runoff
    • Population Growth
    • Sediment Runoff
    • Stormwater Runoff
    • Wastewater

    What's at Risk?

    • Blue Crabs
    • Forest Health
    • Groundwater
    • Oysters
    • Rivers and Streams
    • Stream Buffers
    • Underwater Grasses
    • Wetlands
    • Help Protect the Bay
    • Find a Bay Organization
    • Celebrate Chesapeake Bay Awareness Week
    • Press Center
    • Recent Stories
    • Videos

    Browse Our Stories

    • Chesapeake Stewardship
    • Partnership News
    • Restoration Spotlight
    • Travel, Recreation and Culture
    • Watershed Science
    • Wildlife
    • Office Staff
    • Our Partners
    • Partnership Directory
    • How We’re Organized
    • Organizational Chart
    • Our History
    • Our Funding
    • Contact Us

    Work With Us

    • Internships
    • Career Development
    • Career Opportunities
    • Meetings Calendar
    • Our Accomplishments
    • Grants & RFPs
    • Publications
    • Monitoring and Modeling Data

    What Guides Us

    • Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement

    Programs & Projects

    • Bay TMDL
    • Monitoring
    • Modeling
    • BMP Verification
    • Quality Assurance
    • Data Governance
  1. Recent Stories

Wildlife

Learn more about your favorite Chesapeake Bay wildlife.

Browse Our Stories

Chesapeake Stewardship Partnership News Restoration Spotlight Travel, Recreation and Culture Watershed Science Current page: Wildlife

A rattlesnake that calls the Appalachian Mountains home

September 15, 2026

The timber rattlesnake is one of the only venomous snakes found in the Bay watershed

Read story‍
The head of a yellow-phase timber rattlesnake rests on part of its body.

With a lifetime on the water, loons are skilled hunters and nervous walkers

September 14, 2026

The common loon visits the Chesapeake Bay each fall

Read story‍
A loon in its breeding plumage floats through a bed of water lilies.

Three late-season blooms bring color to the Chesapeake

September 13, 2026

Keep an eye out for these vibrant native flowers

Read story‍
Purple petal bloom on a patch of New England asters.

Milkweed's fluffy seed pods are a sign of a changing season

September 12, 2026

This native plant is a host plant for monarch butterflies

Read story‍
Milkweed seed pod opens up in the woods.

Joe-Pye weed is a summer wildflower that pollinators love

August 6, 2026

The native perennial can be perfect for home gardens

Read story‍
Monarch butterfly visits Joe-Pye weed in bloom with pink flowers.

Five summertime visitors to find in the Chesapeake Bay

July 23, 2026

Warmer water attracts species from southern climates

Read story‍
A pod of three dolphins swimming.

A 445-million-year-old critter continues to visit the Bay

July 20, 2026

The horseshoe crab uses a variety of adaptations to survive

Read story‍
A single horseshoe crab sits on the shoreline during dusk.

The elusive hogchoker is one of the most abundant fish in the Bay

June 5, 2026

Don’t confuse this small flat fish for a flounder

Read story‍
A hogchoker held by a gloved hand.

Six plants to make you fall in love with wetlands

May 12, 2026

Wetlands across the Chesapeake region are filled with interesting plants and wildlife

Read story‍
Tall, light green grasses grow in a wetland.

A world traveler pauses in the Chesapeake

May 7, 2026

The bobolink is a small, migratory songbird that spends its breeding season in the Chesapeake region each year

Read story‍
A black bobolink with yellow coloring on the crown of it's head is perched on tall grass.

Connect with us. Stay informed on our work.

Follow us on these social networks.

Sign up for one of our newsletters.

Subscribe
Chesapeake Bay Program logo, Science. Restoration. Partnership

The Chesapeake Bay Program is a unique regional partnership that has led and directed the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay since 1983. The content on this website does not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the federal government.
 

Tel: (800) YOUR-BAY (968-7229)
Fax: (410) 267-5777

© 2026 Chesapeake Bay Program All Rights Reserved

  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy