Only incomplete
records of insects, spiders, and other invertebrates are available
so the total number of different species of these groups is unknown.
A handful of these species are large, conspicuous, and therefore
easily found by visitors. The park provides boundless opportunities
for the public to search for and discover the thousands of other
park residents.
Those who explored
the Shenandoah Valley and Blue Ridge Mountains in the early 1700s
reported an abundance and variety of animals. As European settlers
cleared the land, introduced domestic animals, and hunted native
animals, the abundance and variety in species diminished.
An unknown number
of native species disappeared from the area, while populations of
many other species dwindled. American bison were eliminated around
1798 and elk followed in 1855. Beaver and river otter disappeared in
the late 1800s. Other species, including the eastern timber wolf,
the eastern cougar, the white-tailed deer, turkey, black bear, and
bobcats were either extirpated or declined drastically.
Fortunately, most
of these species have now returned to park either through
re-introductions on lands elsewhere in Virginia or through natural
population recovery. The designation and management of the area as a
National Park provides refuge to both the resident animals and those
that are passing through on their migrations.
Today, Shenandoah
National Park is a great place to observe wildlife. Countless
visitors spend hours watching deer snip and tear plants. Other
people look for tracks and scat of bobcats, listen for the rustling
of raccoons in the brush, and occasionally smell striped skunks. The
opossum, groundhog, gray fox, and eastern cottontail are more
commonly seen mammals in the park.
Because close
contact with people is frequent and hunting and trapping are
prohibited, some animals appear almost tame. They are wild, however.
Even beautiful brown-eyed deer will defend their young from harm.
Their elegant legs are powerful and their hooves are sharp; facts
some visitors insist on learning the hard way
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Shenandoah serves
as a refuge for many species of animals otherwise pressured by human
activities, development and other land uses. There are over 200
resident and transient bird species, over 50 species of mammals, 51
reptile and amphibian species, and 30 fish species found in the
park.