Maryland isn't just home to lots of cool human residents. There are also lots of critters who call this place home! We're talking bears, dolphins, birds, and yes, ponies too. If you're ready to release your inner naturalist, scroll on -- we've got so many animals facts to share about the wildlife that loves living in MD just as much as we do.
- The ponies that are commonly known as Chincoteague ponies actually live on Assateague Island -- and the island itself is split between Maryland and Virginia state lines. The ponies often look tubby or swollen; this is because there's a lot of salt in the plants they eat and they drink more water to compensate.
- Maryland is home to a mysterious creature that's sometimes called a snot otter or an Allegheny alligator. But what actually is it? It's a huge salamander called a hellbender, and despite its scary name, it's a harmless amphibian that is a great indicator of clean water.
- You may have never seen a bobcat here in Maryland, and they like it that way. Bobcats are very solitary and don't make themselves seen very often, but they're essential to keeping the local food chain in check. (Want to see one? The Maryland Zoo has an exhibit sponsored by Frostburg University, home of the Bobcats.)
- You can keep your cardinals and blue jays -- the orioles are the greatest birds to get a baseball team named for them! But Baltimore orioles are fascinating for reasons that have nothing to do with America's favorite sport. They love sweet things, and can be tempted to your porch or windowsill with fruits and jelly, according to the Audubon Society. They're also master nest-builders who can create some seriously sturdy homes.
- Speaking of local mascots, let's talk terrapins. Maryland's state reptile also represents the University of Maryland's sport teams! These local turtles can live up to twenty years, but they were also a delicacy and apparently good eatin'. Would you try snacking on a terrapin?
- If you've been to Ocean City, you may have seen an odd, ancient creature that looks like a skillet. That's the horseshoe crab, and it's been around for 400 million years! Hey, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
- Here in Maryland, the symbol of freedom and democracy -- the bald eagle -- is a common sight, especially near the major waterways. Bald eagles aren't really bald, of course. They just have a head covered in white feathers. Like most Marylanders, bald eagles love to eat seafood, and their huge talons make them natural-born fishers.
- Most marsupials make Australia their home, but not the opossum! They're here in Maryland, and like all marsupials, they keep their newborn young safe in a pouch. When their babies get older, they cling to mom's back for safety.
- City-dwellers and country folk alike have probably seen a red fox before --they're incredibly smart and adaptable animals that can be seen all over the state. Even though they're referred to as red, these critters can come in all kinds of colors, like black and silver.
- It wouldn't be a Maryland wildlife fact sheet without some info on the blue crab! If they manage to avoid being steamed and eaten, they can live for more than five years. Soft-shell crab sandwiches are made from crabs that have just molted.