Animals in Delaware

Delaware is the second-smallest state in the US, with most of its land area on a coastal plain. It is the state with the lowest mean elevation in the country, not above 60 feet from sea level. Naturally, the Atlantic Ocean heavily influences Delaware’s climate and the habitat of the native wildlife. Its northern regions are covered in temperate broadleaf and mixed forests, while the southern parts have coastal forests.

Though the state has seen a lot of habitat loss due to deforestation and agricultural development, it is still home to numerous small and large animals – terrestrial, avian, and aquatic. And despite the small size, there are national parks and protected areas like the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and the Delaware Water Gap where you can experience nature and wildlife.

List of Different Types of Animals Found in Delaware

Mammals

White-tailed Deer
Eastern Cottontail Rabbit
Raccoon
American Mink
Grey Fox
Cougar
Eastern Chipmunk
Eastern Mole
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Eastern Fox Squirrel
Eastern Flying Squirrel
Virginia Opossum
Muskrat
Virginia Opossum
Eastern Coyote
Striped Skunk
Eastern Spotted Skunk
Eastern Bobcat
Eastern Woodrat
Eastern Harvest Mouse
Meadow Vole
Eastern Pipistrelle Bat
Eastern Red Bat
Little Brown Bat
North American River Otter
Sei Whale
Blue Whale
Fin Whale
Humpback Whale
North Atlantic Right Whale
Sperm Whale

Birds

Bald Eagle
Black Vulture
Delaware Blue Hen
Northern Cardinal
Mourning Dove
Carolina Chickadee
American Goldfinch
Carolina Wren
Great Blue Heron
Marsh Wren
Barred Owls

Reptiles

Eastern Box Turtle
Eastern Mud Turtle
Common Snapping Turtle
Diamondback Terrapin
Red-eared Slider
Painted Turtle
Northern Water Snake
Eastern Copperhead
Eastern Kingsnake
Eastern Watersnake
Timber Rattlesnake
Eastern Massasauga
Eastern Ratsnake
Northern Black Racer
Eastern Garter Snake
Smooth Green Snake
Eastern Hognose Snake
Eastern Ribbon Snake
Eastern Smooth Earth Snake
Eastern Mud Snake
Eastern Coachwhip
Eastern Coral Snake
Common Five-lined Skink
Eastern Skink
Broad-headed Skink
Eastern Fence Lizard

Amphibians

Eastern Newt
American Bullfrog
Northern Green Frog
Pickerel Frog
Northern Spring Peeper
Cope’s Gray Treefrog
Barking Treefrog
Southern Leopard Frog
Eastern Spadefoot Toad
Eastern Narrow-mouthed Toad
American Toad
Fowler’s Toad
Spotted Salamander
Eastern Mud Salamander
Northern Two-lined Salamander
Eastern Tiger Salamander
Marbled Salamander
Four-toed Salamander
Red-backed Salamander

Fishes

Largemouth Bass
Black Sea Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Bluegill
Channel Catfish
Black Crappie
White Crappie
Yellow Perch
Chain Pickerel
Redbreast Sunfish
Pumpkinseed Sunfish
Rock Bass
Brown Bullhead
White Catfish
American Eel
Bowfin
Golden Shiner
Creek Chub
Bluefish
Tautog
Summer Flounder
Weakfish
Red Drum
Sheepshead
Atlantic Croaker
Northern Kingfish
Southern Kingfish
Atlantic Torpedo Ray
Northern Puffer
Atlantic Mackerel
Cobia
Gray Triggerfish
Spiny Dogfish Shark
Nurse Shark
Hammerhead Shark
Blacktip Shark
Sperm Shark

Insects And Invertebrates

American Lady Butterfly
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly
Monarch Butterfly
Black Swallowtail Butterfly
Mole Cricket
Lady Bug
Giant Water Bug
Kissing Bug
Spotted Camel Cricket
Northern Walking Stick
American Cockroach
Green Darner Dragonfly
Eastern Lubber Grasshopper
Eastern Dobsonfly
Eastern Hercules Beetle
Eastern Tiger Beetle
Black Widow
Black And Yellow Garden Spider
Six-spotted Fishing Spider
American Dog Tick
Northern Walking Stick
Common Eastern Bumblebee
Horseshoe Crab

State Animals of Delaware

State Wildlife Animal	Grey Fox
State Bird	Delaware Blue Hen
State Marine Animal	Horseshoe Crab
State Fish	Weakfish
State Butterfly	Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
State Bug	Lady Bug

FAQ

1. What are the most dangerous animals in Delaware?

The state is not particularly famous for its deadly animal population. Still, there are deadly snakes like the timber rattlesnake, eastern massasauga, and the dangerous black widow spider. Another insect to watch out for is the kissing bug, which carries an infectious disease called the Chagas disease.