Category Archives: Flora & Fauna

Rare or noteworthy wildlife spotted in New York State Parks

Flora & Fauna, Stewardship

Move Over, Candid Camera: New York Wildlife Caught on Trail Video

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Humans aren’t the only species of animals that enjoy state parks. Park staff will occasionally find clues of what animals may live there, such as scat, a chewed branch, or a feather. But we don’t always get to watch out for wildlife to stroll on by, especially in remote parts of parks. The best tool for this job is a game camera. Park staff use these camera traps to ‘capture’ these animals in a safe, respectful way. 

Park educators from across New York have put together a snapshot of what we’ve discovered. Now, you too can witness and enjoy some of our favorite remarkable wildlife encounters taking place here at our parks when humans are not present.

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Cool Science, Flora & Fauna, Park Projects, Research

Dark Skies for Fireflies: Searching for New York’s Rare Nighttime Wonders   

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Most people have heard about insect declines, with recent headlines like “The Insect Apocalypse Is Here” and “The Great Insect Decline: Why Scientists Are Sounding the Alarm.” Bumble bees and butterflies are the best-known examples of declining groups, but there is a growing body of evidence documenting downward trends in other insects. Fireflies, famous for their impressive lightshows in the eastern US, are one such group.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature is the global authority on the status of the natural world. It collates data and classifies the extinction risk of species as Not Evaluated, Data Deficient, Least Concern, Near Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered, Critically Endangered, Extinct in the Wild, or Extinct. In 2021, the IUCN Red List Firefly Specialist Group assessed the extinction risk of North American fireflies.

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Flora & Fauna, Stewardship, Uncategorized

Five Invasive Species To Know For 2025 

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Invasive species are non-native species that cause harm to the environment, the economy, or human health. Invasive species come from all around the world. When they’re introduced to a new environment, there is often no natural predator to stop the invasive species from spreading and pushing out native species. With too many invasive species in an ecosystem, native species can’t effectively create habitat for wildlife and support native pollinators.

Like everywhere in New York, our state parks and historic sites have to consider the impact from invasive species. Everyone can help, even if it’s just keeping an eye out and reporting your observations of invasive species to iMapInvasives!

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Cool Science, Family Fun, Flora & Fauna, Hiking

You Belong Among the Wildflowers (In a New York State Park) 

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As Tom Petty once sang, “You belong among the wildflowers, you belong in a boat out at sea.” At New York State Parks, we cannot offer you a boat at sea, but we CAN offer you wildflowers! New York State is blessed with a bounty of native wildflowers that you can view throughout the year, but they are particularly brilliant in the spring.

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Cool Science, Flora & Fauna

The Secret Life of Vernal Pools

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Winter lingers long on the Rensselaer Plateau. The snow piles deep, muffling the landscape in an icy hush, and the trees stand still in their frozen slumber. But as the days lengthen and the sun begins its slow work of softening the land, the transformation begins. The snow melts, trickling down into the forest floor, pooling in low spots, carving out secret, glistening pockets of water between the trees. These pools, often small and shallow, are the first sign of life returning to the woods.

More than just large puddles, vernal pools like these are essential to life for frogs, salamanders, and insects.
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