Species of Concern
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Harpers Ferry National Historical Park is missing some of its former plant and animal inhabitants whose presence helped shape the natural communities seen today. Certain other plants and animals that call the area home are rare, declining in population, or vulnerable to extinction.
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Species of Conservation Concern
Three states come together in Harpers Ferry National Historical Park: West Virginia (WV), Virginia (VA), and Maryland (MD).
Statewide conservation codes range from S1 – Critically Imperiled, to S5 – Secure. In the lists below, a conservation status in bold text indicates that the species has been documented in the park in that state. Get more information on NatureServe's conservation codes.
Animals
| WV | VA | MD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mammals - Bats [B = Breeding, N = Non-breeding] | |||
Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) | S1 | S1 | S1 |
northern long-eared bat (Myotis septentrionalis) | S1S2 | S1S3 | S4B,S4N |
| eastern small-footed bat (Myotis leibii) | S1 | S2 | S1 |
| little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) | S2 | S1S3 | S5B,S5N |
| tri-colored bat (Perimyotis subflavus) | S2 | S1S3 | S5B,S5N |
| Mammals | |||
| Allegheny woodrat (Neotoma magister) | S3 | S3 | S1 |
| Birds [B = Breeding, N = Non-breeding] | |||
| cerulean warbler (Setophaga cerulea) | S2B | S3S4B | S3B |
| migrant loggerhead shrike (Lanius ludovicianus migrans) | S1B,S2N | S1 | S1 |
| osprey (Pandion haliaetus) | S2B | S4 | S4B |
| peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) Reintroduced | S1B,S2N | S1B,S2N | S2B,S3N |
| Reptiles | |||
| broad-headed skink (Plestiodon laticeps) | S2 | S5 | S4 |
| wood turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) | S3 | S2 | S4 |
| Butterflies and Moths | |||
| giant swallowtail (Papilio cresphontes) | S2S3 | S4? | S2 |
| pepper and salt skipper (Amblyscirtes hegon) | S3 | S3S4 | S2 |
| Crustaceans | |||
| Bigger’s amphipod (Stygobromus biggersi) | S1 | S1S2 | S1 |
Plants
| WV | VA | MD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| bearded flatsedge (Cyperus squarrosus) | S3 | S3 | SNA |
| butternut (Juglans cinerea) | S3 | S3? | S2S3 |
| dwarf crested iris (Iris cristata) | S5 | S5 | S1 |
| Eaton's lipfern (Cheilanthes eatonii) | S2 | S2 | SNA |
| false Indian-plantain (Hasteola suaveolens) | S3 | S2 | S1 |
| flatstem spikerush (Eleocharis compressa) | S2 | S2 | S1 |
| four-flower yellow loosestrife (Lysimachia quadriflora) | S1 | S1 | SNR |
| glomerate sedge (Carex aggregata) | S2 | S4? | SNA |
| green arrow-arum (Peltandra virginica) | S2 | S5 | SNR |
| halberd-leaf rosemallow (Hibiscus laevis) | S2 | S4 | S3 |
| lobed spleenwort (Asplenium pinnatifidum) | S4 | S3 | S1 |
| Short's rockcress (Arabis shortii) | S1 | S1 | S3 |
| Shumard oak (Quercus shumardii) | S2 | S4 | S2 |
| smooth rock skullcap (Scutellaria saxatilis) | S2 | S3 | S1 |
| snowy campion (Silene nivea) | S1 | S1 | S1 |
| starflower (Trientalis borealis) | S3S4 | S4 | SNR |
| starflower Solomon’s plume (Maianthemum stellatum) | S2 | S1S2 | S2S5 |
| swamp loosestrife (Decodon verticillatus) | S1 | S5 | SNR |
| three-flower melicgrass (Melica nitens) | S1 | S1 | S2 |
| Torrey's mountain-mint (Pynanthemum torrei) | S1 | S2 | S1 |
| white fawnlily (Erythronium albidum) | S4 | S2 | S2 |
| wild blue indigo (Baptisia australis) | S3 | S3 | S2 |
| winged loosestrife (Lythrum alatum) | S2 | S2 | S1 |
| woolly lipfern (Cheilanthes tomentosa) | S1 | S3S4 | – |
| yellow nailwort (Paronychia virginica) | S2 | S1 | S1 |
Historical Records at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park
The following animal and plant species were once reported from Harpers Ferry, but are believed to be no longer present.
Animals (historical report)
Mammals
- bobcat
- red squirrel
- star-nosed mole
- striped skunk
Amphibians
- Fowler's toad
- gray treefrog
- longtail salamander
Fish
- banded killifish
- chain pickerel
- comely shiner
- creek chub
- creek chubsucker
- cutlip minnow
- eastern silvery minnow
- mottled sculpin
- rosyface shiner
- satinfin shiner
- spottail shiner
- swallowtail shiner
Plants (historical report)
- largeflower valerian
- yellow avens