Endangered Species

A number of endangered, threatened, and special concern species within Massachusetts are listed below.

These species' endangered status is sourced from Mass.gov.

As with all wildlife and plant life, do not interfere with these, and do not approach wild animals.

Barn Owl

These owls are recognized by their heart shaped, white feathered faces. A Barn Owl's wingspan averages from 38-44 inches. They need grasslands to feed, as their main diet consists of Meadow Voles.

Interestingly, these owls are one of the only species to not "hoot". Their call is a loud screeching sound, very unlike other species of owl.

The majority of this species' population will not or rarely migrates, and their numbers will be cut down by the winter, which causes their decreasing presence in Massachusetts.

Furthermore, as agricultural practices change, there has been a decline of open spaces in which rodents and prey for Barn Owls would live.

Peregrine Falcon

This bird of prey will have slate grey feathers and a wingspan of up to 4 feet. Peregrine Falcons disappeared in the 1960's from the East Coast.

These declines were the result of DDT pesticide, which caused eggs to have weak shells which would break under the parent birds' weight when trying to incubate.

DDT was eventually banned, and the "Nongame Endangered Species Program" aimed to reintroduce them in the 1980's, by releasing young falcons in downtown Boston.

Currently, Peregrine Falcons are no longer listed as Endangered or Threatened, but their numbers are closely monitored as they have been reintroduced.

American Bumblebee

Bees are key pollinators in ecosystems around the world.

Both loss of agriculture and biodiversity have caused their decline, as well as pesticide use.

These conditions lead to Colony Collapse Disorder, in which the majority of a colony's worker bees abandon the Queen, larvae, and a few other bees. This can occur even when honey preserves are adequate.

The link below will bring you to a page of how to help bee populations from your own home.

Bee Conservation

Showy Lady's Slipper

These pink flowers are in the orchid family. They grow up to 40" tall, but their leaves only sprout from the base of the stem.

Showy Lady's Slipper flowers during the early Summer, within May and June.

Their growing requires wet, swampy soil with alkaline groundwater. These conditions are rarely met, which is one factor of this plant's decline.

Another factor in their decline is predation by grazing deer, which feed on them.

Bats (Several Species)

Bat species are some of the best natural mosquito and other pest control. They are small, nocturnal, flying mammals that use echolocation to navigate their surroundings.

After the 1900's, in which their numbers diminished due to pesticides, bats made a recovery until an outbreak of White-Nose Syndrome, an illness caused by fungus and prevents them from surviving winter.

The link below will bring you to a page of how to build bat houses, which can encourage bats to nest.

Bat Conservation

While obviously not found within Tewksbury, both aquatic species listed below are found in Massachusetts shores and nearby ocean. Preserving outdoor spaces also includes water bodies and the ocean.

Sea Turtles

The coasts of New England are home to several sea turtle species, including the Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle and the Leatherback Sea Turtle. Globally, sea turtles face threats in the form of humans harvesting eggs for consumption. And in their habitat, ocean pollution makes their survival and feeding difficult, as many sea turtles will ingest plastic when eating or hunting.

Whales

Both the Blue Whale and Northern Atlantic Right Whale are found off the shores of New England. Cape Cod has been a reliable source of the zooplankton that are prey to a number of Whale Species. Historically, unchecked whaling practices have led to the decline of these animals, they are now protected by law. Ship collisions and pollution are their biggest threats.

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