Animals in New Jersey

New Jersey, the small state located in the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast regions of the United States, is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the south, the Delaware River in the west, and the Delaware Bay in the southwest. The state is characterized by diverse terrains that are divided into regions like the Atlantic Coastal Plain characterized by sandy beaches and salt marshes, the hilly Piedmont region, the mountainous Highlands with its numerous lakes, and the Ridge-and-Valley Appalachians that has the Kittatinny Mountains and the Delaware Water Gap.

The state is home to countless fascinating native animals and birds that attract wildlife enthusiasts to its national parks and wildlife refuges like the Appalachian National Scenic Trail and New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve.

List of Different Types of Animals Found in New Jersey

Mammals

Black Bear
Coyote
Bobcat
Red Fox
White-tailed Deer
Virginia Opossum
North American Porcupine
Common Raccoon
North American River Otter
Striped Skunk
Eastern Spotted Skunk
American Beaver
Woodchuck
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Eastern Fox Squirrel
Eastern Cottontail Rabbit
Eastern Chipmunk
Eastern Mole
Eastern Shrew
American Mink
Eastern Woodrat
Big Brown Bat
Little Brown Bat
Eastern Red Bat
Eastern Pipistrelle Bat
North Atlantic Right Whale
Blue Whale
Sperm Whale

Birds

American Goldfinch
American Robin
Northern Cardinal
Red-winged Blackbird
Bald Eagle
Osprey
Great Egret
Pileated Woodpecker
Wild Turkey
Great Blue Heron
Great Black-backed Gull
Piping Plover

Reptiles

Bog Turtle
Common Snapping Turtle
Eastern Box Turtle
Northern Diamondback Terrapin
Timber Rattlesnake
Northern Copperhead
Northern Water Snake
Eastern Ribbon Snake
Eastern Garter Snake
Eastern Milk Snake
Eastern Ratsnake
Northern Black Racer
Eastern Wormsnake
Eastern Hognose Snake
Eastern Kingsnake
Five-lined Skink
Eastern Fence Lizard
Northern Fence Lizard

Amphibians

Pine Barrens Treefrog
Green Frog
American Bullfrog
Pickerel Frog
New Jersey Chorus Frog
Southern Leopard Frog
Northern Leopard Frog
Spring Peeper
American Toad
Eastern Spadefoot
Northern Cricket Frog
Eastern Tiger Salamander
Eastern Newt
Eastern Red-backed Salamander
Jefferson Salamander
Marbled Salamander
Four-toed Salamander

Fishes

Chain Pickerel
Striped Bass
Largemouth Bass
Smallmouth Bass
Bluegill
Bluefish
Brook Trout
Atlantic Menhaden
Winter Flounder
Summer Flounder
Atlantic Croaker
Atlantic Herring
Blueback Herring
American Shad
White Perch
Yellow Perch
Black Drum
Northern Pike
Walleye
Channel Catfish
Brown Bullhead

Insects and Invertebrates

Black Swallowtail
Cockroach
Carpenter Ant
Silverfish
Bed Bugs
Rice Weevils
Indian Meal Moths
Confused Flour Beetles
Mosquitoes
Northern Black Widow
Southern Black Widow
Brown Recluse
Common House Spider

Mulusks and Crustaceans

Blue Claw Crab
Knobbed Whelk

State Animals of New Jersey

State Mammal	Horse
State Bird	Eastern Goldfinch
State Freshwater Fish	Brook Trout
State Reptile	Bog Turtle
State Insect	European Honey Bee
State Butterfly	Black Swallowtail
State Shell	Knobbed Whelk

FAQ

What are the most dangerous animals in New Jersey?

American black bears and coyotes are the most dangerous predatory animals in the state. There are also two species of deadly snakes – timber rattlesnake and eastern copperhead. Additionally, the state has three venomous spiders, the northern and southern black widows and the brown recluse.

Are there any endangered animals in New Jersey?

Over a hundred animals are classified as threatened or endangered in the state. These include the blue whale, bobcat, piping plover, Peregrine falcon, bog turtle, and eastern tiger salamander.

What are the common nocturnal animals in New Jersey?

New Jersey has multiple species of skunks, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, and opossums that you may encounter at night.

What are some common invasive animals in New Jersey?

Several insects are threatening the local ecosystem; these include the spotted lanternfly, emerald ash borer, Asian longhorned beetle, and pineshoot beetle.