The Animals of the Missippi Gulf Coast
The Gulf Coast of Mississippi is home to a diverse menagerie of all varieties of wildlife. The birds found here include the magnificent Great Blue Heron, the Snowy Egret, and the Red-Winged Blackbird, as well as sea gulls, ibises and ospreys. Two endangered species found along the Mississippi Gulf Coast are the Brown Pelican and the Sandhill Crane.
Many reptiles are found here as well, and the most prominent is probably the American Alligator. Water Moccasins, Copperheads and rattlesnakes are some of the more lethal reptiles, but many nonpoisonous snakes also live in the region.You can find a quick rundown here Box turtles are found on the land, while sea turtles are the best known ocean-dwelling reptile of the area. On a much smaller scale, the anole is the most prolific lizard.
The mammals are represented by the Bottlenose Dolphin at sea, and raccoons, rabbits, beavers, and muskrats on land. Otters try to have the best of both worlds here, spending their time on both the land and in the waters of the Gulf. One invasive species is the Nutria, or Coypu, which looks like an oversized long-tailed hamster.
Fish are in abundance along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and are one of the reasons many people visit here. Some of the more intimidating species are the Hammerhead Shark, the manta ray, and stingrays, but there are also hardhead catfish, mullet, speckled trout and drum, as well as many others. Blue crab, oysters, and three varieties of shrimp are found here as well.