The sea turtle is one of Georgia's endangered species.
The Federal Endangered Species Act lists animals that are endangered throughout the country; 63 of these are present in Georgia. Georgia also has its own list of animals and plants that are protected by state-wide laws. Various organizations including universities, private land owners and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources work to protect these species to help preserve them and their habitats.
Mammals
There are five mammals at risk in Georgia including the Indiana and gray bats, West Indian manatee and northern right and humpback whales. The bat species is at risk due to human interference in caves and floods and pesticide use. The whales are located along coastal waters and are at risk due to boats and barges slowing reproductive rates. The manatee is at risk due to collisions with boats and humans' destruction of its habitat.
Invertebrates
The following invertebrates are threatened or at risk of extinction. The purple bankclimber, fine-lined pocketbook, Alabama moccasinshell, fat three-ridge, Upland combshell, Southern acornshell, shiny-rayed pocketbook, coosa moccasinshell, Gulf moccasinshell, Ochlockonee moccasinshell, Southern clubshell, Southern pigtoe, oval pigtoe and triangular kidneyshell. They are found in rivers and streams. All species are threatened or at risk due to degradation of water quality, habitat modification and sedimentation.
Plants
The following plants are threatened or endangered; Little amphianthus, hairy rattleweed, smooth coneflower, swamp pink, black-spored quillwort, mat-forming quillwort, small whorled pogonia, pondberry, Mohr's Barbara's buttons, Canby's dropwort, harperella, Michaux's sumac, Kral's water-plantain, green pitcher-plant, American chaffseed, large-flowered skullcap, fringed campion, Virginia spiraea,
Florida torreya, persistent trillium, relict trillium, Tennessee yellow-eyed grass, cooley meadowrue, Alabama leather flower and the rock gnome lichen. Reasons for the endangerment of plant species include quarrying, vehicle traffic, agricultural and urban development, logging and personal collections.
Reptiles and Amphibians
Various reptiles and amphibians are at risk of or already are endangered, including the flatwoods salamander, green sea turtle, hawksbill sea turtle, Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, leatherback sea turtle and loggerhead sea turtle. They are at risk of being extinct due to human encroachment on beaches, multiple predators, food exploitation, fishing and trapping nets and habitat loss from farming, construction and forestry.
Birds
Five bird species are endangered or at risk including the bald eagle, wood stork, Kirtland's warbler, red-cockaded woodpecker and the piping plover. Reasons the birds are at risk include older trees being knocked down, loss of feeding and nesting habitat and commercial development.
Fish
Endangered fish species include the amber darter, Cherokee darter, Etowah darter, goldline darter, snail darter, Conasauga logperch, blue shiner, shortnose sturgeon, spotfin chub and yellowfin madtom. They are endangered due to dam and reservoir construction, poor water quality and habitat degradation.
Tags: quality habitat, species include, threatened risk, water quality, water quality habitat