Hunting in Virginia: 4 Animals Designated Nongame, Endangered, Threatened, and Protected Species

Virginia is home to a variety of endangered species that need to be considered before hunting in the state. A full list of endangered, threatened and protected species is on the Virginia Tech website and includes mammals, reptiles, birds, plants and insects.

Here are four animals that are endangered in Virginia.

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1. Delmarva Peninsula Fox Squirrel (Endangered)
This squirrel is distinguishable by its fluffy tail and white belly. It is also larger than other grey tree squirrels, and Virginia is among only three states where the squirrel is still believed to exist thanks in part to a translocation project that brought them to Accomack County, Virginia, according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

2. Virginia Northern Flying Squirrel
This species is brown in color and distinguishable by its large eyes. To help combat the disappearance of this flying squirrel, nest boxes have been placed throughout 10 counties in southwestern and western Virginia, according to the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries.

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3. Piping Plover
This bird is found along shores in less frequency than the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries would like to see. This small bird has many enemies, including raccoons, crows and other mammals who like to dine on the their eggs. To help aid in the repopulation effort, most islands in Virginia do not allow dogs on the beach since they could scare away the mating birds.

4. Red-Cockaded Woodpecker
This woodpecker is federally endangered, and Virginia has made efforts to increase its population in the one area where the birds are found in the state: Piney Grove Preserve in Sussex County. A record high 10 breeding pairs were reported in 2012. Population levels are now above those in the 1980s, when the bird began its decline, according to The Center for Conservation Biology.

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

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