Wildlife
The Greenbelt is one of the most biologically diverse places in New York City. It is home to several species of amphibians; such as the Eastern Redback Salamander, the Green Frog, the American Bullfrog, and the endangered Pine Barrens Treefrog; reptiles; such as the Eastern Ribbon Snake, the Eastern Garter Snake, the Eastern Box Turtle, and the Northern Water Snake, as well as New York's state reptile, the Common Snapping Turtle. On occasion Black Rat Snakes and Eastern Milksnakes are reported here. Both species are threatened elsewhere on Staten Island due to habitat destruction to build roads. The Greenbelt provides year-round habitat native mammals like the Gray Squirrel, Eastern Chipmunk, Eastern Cottontail, and the White-Tailed Deer. Permanent bird residents include the Blue Jay, Northern Cardinal, Ruffed Grouse, and Carolina Chickadee, while Northern Flickers and other migrants use the Greenbelt as a stopover on seasonal migration routes. Raptors such as Cooper's Hawks, Red Tail Hawks, and Great Horned Owls also call the Greenbelt home. The waterways are rich in fish life, and such species found here include the Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, Green Sunfish, Brown Bullhead, Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, Chain Pickerel, as well as several Darter species.
Read more about this topic: Staten Island Greenbelt
Famous quotes containing the word wildlife:
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