![[photo, Eastern Snapping Turtle (Chelydra s. serpentina), Annapolis, Maryland]](/msa/mdmanual/01glance/wildlife/reptiles/images/1198-1-5957a.jpg)
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura), Glen Burnie, Maryland, April 2011. Photo by Diane F. Evartt.
Countless different species* may be observed in Maryland's natural areas, and are divided by numerous physical features. The most abundant families are amphibia (amphibians); arthropods (crustaceans, insects, & spiders); aves (birds); mammalia (mammals); and reptilia (reptiles). Often, they are classified further by diet, as carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores, although this division can be narrowed to define specific dietary habits, such as insectivores.
Maryland maintains nearly forty thousand acres of wildlands, which are encompassed by State parks, forests, and wildlife management areas. These areas allow for Maryland's natural wildlife to thrive virtually undisturbed. State wildlands are protected by law, and are monitored and protected by the Department of Natural Resources Police Force.
*(specific animals are classified by eight main taxonomic ranks: domain; kingdom; phylum; class; order; family; genus; and species)
© Copyright Maryland State Archives