Three painted turtles on piece of wood in water

Protect Critters Living Near Streams


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Wildlife in the Stream Wildlife Around the Stream Do Your Part

Don’t trash it! Keep the water clean.

There’s a lot of wildlife that call streams – and the area around it – their home. So, it’s important to keep this habitat clean. Animals and organisms need clean water to survive. Streams also cannot support a healthy ecosystem with polluted water.  

Water pollution happens when stormwater picks up plastics, chemicals, oil, dirt, paint, and other litter as it flows to nearby streams. If you don’t litter, you’ll protect wildlife in and around the stream. 

Wildlife in the Stream

Dragonfly resting on pink flower
  • Aquatic insects - mayflies, stoneflies, and caddisflies live under rocks and logs. They spend much of their life in the same area of a stream.
  • Worms
  • Snails
  • Clams
  • Crayfish
  • Fish, like darter fish

Wildlife Around the Stream

Beaver wading in stream water
  • Mammals, like raccoons, grey foxes, beavers, and deer
  • Turtles 
  • Snakes
  • Lizards
  • Frogs
  • Salamanders 
  • Birds, like Blue Herons
  • Insects 

Do Your Part

Black and yellow spotted salamander on green moss

Visiting a park or greenway? Take your garbage with you or throw it in a nearby trash can. You can also volunteer to clean up a stream

See How We Help

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