We’re very excited that it’s World Wildlife Day! This year’s theme is all about recovering key local species with the intent of restoring and preserving the local ecosystem. By raising awareness of the creatures and beings that live right here in our own backyard, we will be able to have a much better life for the future.
Caring for our home and its native species will help us cultivate and preserve the unique aspects of our region, inviting new folks to visit, stay, and play here! In addition, we’ll be ensuring that animal, insect, and plant life will be thriving and surviving for many years and generations to come. Join Atlantic Auto Group in learning more about our home and its unique flora and fauna!
What kind of ecosystems do we have here in Long Island? Long Island is abundant in its variety of ecosystems! There are 12 types of coastal habitats in particular that are undergoing restoration and preservation efforts in our local area: Beaches and Dunes, Cliffs and Bluffs, Coastal and Island Forests, Freshwater Wetlands, Estuarine Embayments, Coastal Grasslands, Intertidal Flats, Rocky Intertidal Zones, Riverine Migratory Corridors, Submerged Aquatic Vegetation Beds, Shellfish Reefs, and Tidal Wetlands (source.)
How do we help the ecosystems and wildlife on Long Island? Local protected areas are being rehabilitated and preserved by the Long Island Sound Study and other eco conscious groups. The goal is to ensure that environmental management will help provide opportunity for the land and organisms to rebuild, revive, and thrive in abundance. Including public participation through volunteering and donations to conservation efforts ensure that protection levels are maintained. Education and experiential learning are key to increasing conscious green living. Through monitoring programs, scientific research, and continued assessments on protection efforts, we’ll be able to cultivate and protect habitats and wildlife for generations to come!
What is biodiversity? Biodiversity is the variety of life in the world, a particular habitat or ecosystem, and it is essential for all living things. There are three levels of biodiversity: genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity; without a wide variety of plants, microorganisms, and animals, our world and humans would suffer immensely as a whole. We rely on biodiversity to provide us the air we breathe and the food we eat, so it is important we care for the physical environment to ensure its preservation and survival. Together we have to work to fight against climate change and preserve life!
Let’s take a closer look at some of the beautiful wildlife and creatures that call Long Island home. This list is by no means fully inclusive or exhaustive, and we encourage you to explore to learn more about every creature and plant and microorganism that calls LI home! Get curious and get in touch with your roots.
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Humpback Whale
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Gray Whale
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Blue Whale
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Orca
Minke Whale
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Common Bottlenose Dolphin
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Harbor Porpoise
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Northern Elephant Seal
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Grey Seal
Harbor Seal
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Eastern Mole
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Eastern Cottontail Rabbit
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Eastern Chipmunk
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Eastern Grey Squirrel
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Meadow Vole
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Muskrats
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Woodchuck
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Virginia Opossum
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Red Fox
Long Tailed Weasel
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American Mink
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Red Fox
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White-Tailed Deer
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Coyotes
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Tricolored Bat
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Little Brown Bat
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Hoary Bat
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Eastern Red Bat
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Long Eared Owl
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Spotted Owl
Brown Boobook
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Barn Owl
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Black Crowned Night Heron
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Green Tree Ant
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Western Spotted Skunk
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Atlantic Cod
Bluefish
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Triggerfish
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Winter Flounder
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Mackerel
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Striped Bass
Check out this page by Long Island Weekly for a guide to even more local wildlife! If you’d like to be a part of local conservation efforts, keep an eye out for our local community calendar posts. We do our best to include clean-up efforts, wildlife conservation programs, walking tours of local preserves, and more whenever possible.
