What animals live in the Maryland Chesapeake Bay?

Larger creatures that thrive in the Bay include bottlenose dolphins, which are plentiful in deeper waters but can also be found near harbors. Water mammals share the watershed with their on-land neighbors such as river otters, the white-tailed and sika deer, bobcats, marsh rabbits, muskrat, and red fox.

1. What predators are in the Chesapeake Bay?
2. How many species of animals live in the Chesapeake Bay?
3. What animals is Maryland known for?
4. What animals are native to the Chesapeake Bay watershed?
5. Do sharks live in the Chesapeake Bay?
6. Are there whales in the Chesapeake Bay?
7. Are there starfish in the Chesapeake Bay?
8. What kind of deer live in Chesapeake Bay?
9. What is Chesapeake Bay famous for?
10. What is Maryland's state dog?
11. Are there peacocks in Maryland?
12. Are there turtles in the Chesapeake Bay?
13. What makes Chesapeake Bay a dead zone *?
14. Are there dolphins in Chesapeake Bay?

What predators are in the Chesapeake Bay?

As important predator species in the Chesapeake Bay food web, fish like striped bass, Atlantic croaker and white perch rely on “forage”—the smaller fish, shellfish and invertebrates that underwater predators feed on. Though many aren't well known, these forage species are the unsung heroes of our waters.

How many species of animals live in the Chesapeake Bay?

The mixing of freshwater with saltwater from the Atlantic Ocean in the Chesapeake Bay creates the nation's largest estuary, home to more than 3,700 species of plants and animals.

What animals is Maryland known for?

What animals is Maryland known for? Maryland is known for the blue crabs which contribute to its delicious crab cakes and the Baltimore oriole, its state bird and baseball team mascot.

What animals are native to the Chesapeake Bay watershed?

In addition to supporting many waterfowl species, these coastal marshes are important nursery and spawning grounds for multiple fish species, including Atlantic menhaden, bluefish, flounder, spot, mullet, croaker, and rockfish.

Do sharks live in the Chesapeake Bay?

According to the Chesapeake Bay Program, there are at least 12 species of sharks found in the Bay. ... The five most common sharks in the Bay include the sandbar shark, bull shark, sand tiger shark, smooth dogfish, and spiney dogfish.

Are there whales in the Chesapeake Bay?

The humpback whale is a school bus-sized mammal that occasionally visits the Chesapeake Bay. It is known for its knobbed head and acrobatic breaching displays.

Are there starfish in the Chesapeake Bay?

The common sea star is a spiny-skinned echinoderm with five pointed arms. It lives mainly on rocks, jetties and pilings in the shallow, salty waters of the lower Chesapeake Bay.

What kind of deer live in Chesapeake Bay?

Sika deer are native to Japan, Taiwan and eastern Asia, and were introduced into the Chesapeake Bay watershed in 1916. While they reside in the Bay watershed year round, the sika deer's summer range is generally larger than its winter range.

What is Chesapeake Bay famous for?

The Bay is also an important economic resource. Seafood, recreation and tourism generate significant revenue for all Chesapeake watershed states, producing jobs and boosting local economies. The Chesapeake is also home to two of the five major shipping ports in the North Atlantic: Baltimore and Hampton Roads.

What is Maryland's state dog?

In 1964, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever, named after the famous bay region of the breed's or​igin, was declared the official dog of Maryland. A working dog bred to recover waterfowl for hunters, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever is one of only a few breeds actually developed in the United States.

Are there peacocks in Maryland?

Peafowls — males are peacocks, females are peahens — are native to India, Sri Lanka, Java, Burma and African rain forests, depending on the species. But not Maryland. ... Efforts to locate the peacock's owner were unsuccessful, and National Zoo officials say it's not one of theirs.

Are there turtles in the Chesapeake Bay?

The loggerhead turtle is the largest hard-shelled sea turtle, with a heart-shaped, reddish brown shell. It can be found in the Chesapeake Bay from May to November.

What makes Chesapeake Bay a dead zone *?

Dead zones are caused by excessive nitrogen and phosphorous pollution from human activities, including: Agricultural runoff from farmland that carries nutrients from fertilizers and animal manure into rivers and streams, eventually flowing into the Chesapeake Bay.

Are there dolphins in Chesapeake Bay?

Hundreds of Atlantic bottlenose dolphins are spending their summers in Chesapeake Bay waters. ... The bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that travel to the Chesapeake are a migratory species that spend the rest of the year at other locations along the Atlantic Coast.