Wildlife of
New York

Primary Threats

• Loss and fragmentation of wetlands, grasslands, and early-successional habitats from development and land-use change; coastal dune and beach habitat squeezed by shoreline armoring and recreation; forest parcelization and road networks fragment Adirondack/Catskill connectivity, affecting wide-ranging species and interior-forest specialists.
• Sea-level rise and stronger coastal storms wash away and flood Long Island and NYC beaches and salt marshes used by beach-nesting birds. Warmer streams and less lake ice harm brook trout, change food webs, and help invasive species. Changed timing of seasons affects migratory birds in the Atlantic Flyway.
• Old pollutants (PCBs, heavy metals) plus ongoing nutrient, sediment, and stormwater pollution harm the Hudson River, Great Lakes tributaries, and city waterways. Sewer overflows and road runoff damage estuaries and nearshore areas; farm nutrients cause harmful algal blooms.
• Aquatic invasives (e.g., zebra/quagga mussels, round goby, invasive aquatic plants) restructure Great Lakes and inland waters; terrestrial invasives (e.g., emerald ash borer, hemlock woolly adelgid, invasive shrubs) alter forest composition and habitat quality; invasive plants colonize dunes, wetlands, and riparian corridors, reducing native nesting/foraging habitat.
• White-nose syndrome has severely impacted hibernating bats in caves and mines statewide; tick-borne diseases affect wildlife health and management; wildlife diseases pose risks for concentrated deer populations and for species in fragmented habitats.
• While regulated hunting is a management tool (notably for white-tailed deer), localized overharvest concerns can occur for some game species; enforcement challenges arise where high access and dense human populations intersect with wildlife (e.g., poaching pressure near road networks and accessible public lands).
• Illegal collection/possession pressures can affect certain reptiles, amphibians, and birds (including rare turtles and raptors), with risks amplified by accessible habitats near population centers and online markets.
• Fishing pressure and bycatch concerns affect some migratory and estuarine/coastal fish; management of Great Lakes and marine/estuary fisheries requires balancing harvest with restoration of native stocks and habitats, especially where degraded spawning/nursery areas constrain recovery.
• High recreation intensity-beaches, dunes, and nearshore islands-disturbs nesting piping plovers, terns, and other shorebirds; heavy trail/boat use in popular Adirondack/Catskill and coastal areas can degrade sensitive wetlands, alpine zones, and nesting sites without careful management.
• Deer overabundance in suburban and exurban regions drives browse impacts on forest regeneration and increases vehicle collisions; beavers, black bears, and coyotes generate localized conflicts; coastal and urban wildlife (e.g., gulls, geese) create management challenges at parks, airports, and waterfronts.
• Small, isolated populations of rare plants and animals (e.g., some amphibians, turtles, and grassland birds) face reduced gene flow due to fragmentation; coldwater fish populations can be genetically diluted by stocking or interbreeding with non-local strains if not managed carefully.
• Water withdrawals and altered groundwater inputs can reduce baseflows in small streams and wetlands, stressing aquatic species; localized depletion of high-quality spawning substrates or riparian wood due to channel modification reduces habitat complexity in some watersheds.
• Roads, culverts, dams, and shoreline hardening fragment habitats and block fish passage (notably in Hudson tributaries, Great Lakes tributaries, and Long Island streams); wind/energy and transmission siting can affect birds and bats without mitigation; coastal infrastructure can prevent marsh migration with sea-level rise.
• Hydrologic alteration (dams, channelization, wetland drainage, floodplain disconnection) changes sediment and flow regimes; fire suppression and reduced disturbance can eliminate early-successional/grassland structure needed by certain birds; intensive shoreline management can simplify coastal ecosystems.
• Where agriculture persists or expands in some regions, conversion/maintenance of open lands can reduce wetlands and increase nutrient runoff; however, the larger issue is often loss of grassland bird habitat due to field abandonment or conversion to development rather than expansion alone.
• Downstate and Hudson Valley development drives fragmentation, stormwater pollution, and loss of coastal and riverine habitats; light and noise pollution affect migratory birds; infill and waterfront redevelopment can constrain shoreline habitat unless nature-based designs are used.
• Poorly planned timber harvest can increase sedimentation, fragment interior forests, and reduce old/complex forest structure; conversely, well-designed forestry can support early-successional habitats-so the threat is concentrated where practices degrade riparian buffers or sensitive soils.
• Legacy and localized mining/extraction can disturb karst/cave systems and groundwater, affect bat hibernacula, and degrade streams via sedimentation; gravel/sand extraction can alter river and shoreline dynamics if not carefully managed.