Hunting in West Virginia: 20 Animals Designated Nongame, Endangered, Threatened, and Protected Species

With every year that passes a growing number of animals become nongame, threatened, endangered, protected, or extinct. In effort to mitigate this pressing problem, the United States Department of Fish and Wildlife Department has established various rules on hunting and development in areas where these species abide.

Many states have passed legislation that supplements the rules set by the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife. West Virginia has not passed such supplemental legislation and therefore relies on the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife's federal list of rare, threatened, and endangered species.

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Because of the dynamic nature of animal populations, this list is ever evolving. It is always good to check it periodically to see what animals, insects, and plants have left or joined the list.

While you may not kill any rare, threatened, or endangered species for recreational hunting, reporting sightings of these creatures is highly encouraged. To report a sighting, go to the West Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources.

West Virginia currently contains 15 animals considered endangered and five considered as threatened. There are four species of plants in West Virginia considered endangered and two types of plants that are considered threatened.

Here is a list of West Virginia's animals that are designated nongame, endangered, threatened, or protected:

Endangered Species
According to the Endangered Species Act (ESA), endangered species are, "any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range." When an animal goes extinct, it means that they are no longer believed to exist alive anywhere on the planet.

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Endangered species are tracked by scientists in order to accurately estimate that specie's population. West Virginia's endangered animals include the Virginia big-eared bat; Indiana bat; West Virginia northern flying squirrel; pink mucket pearly mussel; northern riffleshell; James spinymussel; fanshell; clubshell; snuffbox; rayed bean; Spectaclecase; sheepnose; shale barren rockcress; harperella; and the Northeastern bulrush.

Threatened Species
The ESA's definition of threatened species is, "any species which is likely to become an endangered species in the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of it range."

The situation of threatened species is not as dire as that of endangered species. However, it is still alarming enough to be tracked. West Virginia's threatened species are the flat-spired three-toothed land snail; Cheat Mountain salamander; Madison Cave isopod; Virginia spiraea; and the small whorled pogonia.

This article is for information only. Please check current regulations before hunting.

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