From clear, spring-fed Ozark streams to the great, muddy Missouri and Mississippi rivers, Missouri has one of the most diverse collections of rivers and streams in the United States. Many beautiful and unusual animals inhabit these waterways, and wildlife of all kinds are attracted to the riparian zone bordering these habitats. Before European settlement, chains of wetlands bounded the rivers of northern Missouri while swamps were abundant in the Bootheel. A few of these wetlands are now key lands for migrating waterfowl to stop and feed in spring and fall. Pockets of moist soil known as seeps and fens are found throughout the state, and are associated with both prairies and forests.
Caves are fragile environments containing animals adapted to life in complete darkness.
Sinkholes funnel water down to underground streams that pour out at surface springs and cave openings. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of the Missouri Dept. of Conservation is prohibited.