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Mammals
Mammals
Black Bear
Bobcat
Mink
White-tailed Deer
The Great Dismal Swamp is home to one of the largest remaining black bear populations. They are adaptable and can thrive in diverse habitat types, although they do prefer to live undercover. The GDS is the ideal location because they tend to choose densely wooded forests or swamps with readily available food sources. White-tailed Deer, bears, and other small game play a critical role in the hunting community, providing food to locals and increasing revenue for Virginia DWR & North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission.
Reptiles and amphibians
Reptiles and amphibians
River Cooter
Broad Headed Skink
Ribbon Snake
Carpenter Frog
In the Spring you can find turtles the size of walnuts crossing foot paths at dusk and dawn. Reptiles and amphibians are a major food source for carnivorous mammals and birds.
Venomous Friends
Venomous Friends
Northern Cottonmouth
Northern Cottonmouth
Semiaquatic pit viper, fatal bite
Eastern Copperhead
Eastern Copperhead
Pit viper reliant on camouflage
Canebrake Rattlesnake
Canebrake Rattlesnake
Highly venomous pit viper
Only three venomous snakes find their home in the GDS. They are all a variety of pit viper and they hunt by ambushing their prey. Their pit or loreal pit can be used to detect infrared radiation so they are able to tell when a warm blooded creature is nearby.
Neotropical Migratory Birds
Neotropical Migratory Birds
Yellow-Billed Cuckoo
Northern Flicker
Belted Kingfisher
Green Heron
These birds consist of species that breed in Canada and the United States during the summer, and they migrate to spend their winters in Mexico, Central America, South America, or the Caribbean Islands.
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