Endangered and Threatened Species of Wisconsin

Many people know that high-profile global animals such as the Panda Bear, Rhino, and Amur Leopard are endangered species which are in need of human’s help to sustain their dwindling populations…but did you know that there are animals right here in Wisconsin that need our help as well? Though the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has had a list of endangered species across the nation since 1967, Wisconsin developed its first endangered and threatened species list in 1972, following the enactment of the Wisconsin Endangered Species Law. The last revision of this list occurred in January of 2014, when 8 species were added and 15 species were removed from the list.

To see the full list, and other information about Wisconsin’s threatened and endangered species, follow this link.

If any of these animals are brought into WINC, they require special attention and reporting to government agencies.  The endangered/threatened species that have been in our care include:

Mammals
Big Brown Bat (T)
Little Brown Bat (T)
Eastern Pipistrelle (T)

Curious as to why these bats are threatened? Check out our news article on white nose syndrome.

Birds
Peregrine Falcon (E)
Red-Neck Grebe (E)
Caspian Tern (E)
Red-Shouldered Hawk (T)
Great Egret (T)

Reptiles
Ornate Box Turtle (E)*

We are lucky enough to have a resident Ornate Box Turtle, Jewel, who is an animal ambassador in our education program!

Endangered vs. Threatened
FAQ: What is the difference between a threatened and endangered species?

Answer: In simple terms, endangered species are at the brink of extinction now. Threatened species are likely to be at the brink in the near future. All of the protections of the Endangered Species Act are provided to endangered species. Many, but not all, of those protections also are available to threatened species.