Mark Twain National Forest

Wildlife

The Mark Twain National Forest, situated in the Missouri Ozarks, is home to over 530 native wildlife species. These include some 116 kinds of fish, 31 different amphibians, 45 species of reptiles, 286 breeds of birds, and 52 types of mammals. Species range from "A" to "Z", Amphiuma tridactylum, the three-toed ampiuma (an aquatic salamander that resembles an eel), to Zenaida macroura, commonly known as the mourning dove.

The far-flung locations of our six Ranger Districts make it possible to encounter a surprising variety of animals. In some locations, you might catch sight of a roadrunner; elsewhere, you may see whitetail deer, bald eagles, rainbow trout, or even a black bear!

A two-fold wildlife goal of Mark Twain National Forest is to maintain viable populations of all species while also affording a medley of activities that will allow humans to enjoy them -- everything from hunting and fishing to wildlife viewing and photography.

Providing conditions that will ensure habitat for all species results from the protection and management of particular species, including those that are threatened and endangered as well as those that are abundant. The wild turkey is an example of successful habitat management. Only a few decades past, turkeys were all but extinct in Missouri. Today, we have a flourishing wild turkey population on Mark Twain National Forest.

I hope you will visit Missouri's national forest soon and that you will return often. When you come here, I'm sure you will agree that it is a treasure.

"The Mark Twain National Forest and all the other national forests across the country offer outstanding opportunities for wildlife watching and nature study. Please visit the following websites to browse through the variety of places to go and things to see on your National Forests."

http://www.fs.fed.us/outdoors/naturewatch/

http://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/