Wildlife of the American South Wiki

**Welcome to the Wildlife of the American South Wiki!**
This is a collaborative project to raise awareness and teach the public about the wildlife of the southern United States of America! This is an ongoing project, still in a very rough state, which was started in January of 2023. Scroll down further on the main page to find the FAQ, and check out the rules to familiarize yourself with this wiki further. The Virginia Opossum, Nine-banded Armadillo, North American Porcupine, and American Beaver pages roughly show the final product that I am capable of, and they showcase the format which can be followed on other pages when edited and added onto. My main interest is mapping distribution, so I will put less time and effort into filling in text information. That's where you come in! With your help, we can make this a reliable resource for viewers worldwide to enjoy! To edit pages click on the edit button (pencil icon) on the top right corner, note you may need to create a fandom account beforehand. There are many guides, both on fandom and simply on google, to help you with editing if need be! Thanks!

My ultimate goal is to create an organization focused virtually solely on this region. I want it to be unique as it would work to benefit both the wildlife and the humans coexisting with nature. Rebuilding habitats, rewilding regions, and raising the public's awareness of these amazing areas and the nature they hold are some key goals. Fighting for changes in our government and enacting policies to protect our planet are also crucial issues I would like to pursue. **I plan to create a stand-alone website in the near future (not planning on removing this fandom), but funding and time are major constraints.** With your help adding information, this goal may become achievable, which would benefit the living beings, both human and wildlife, of the American South!

**Ongoing Project! - Mammals of the South**

*All images used on this website fall under US copyright's definition of fair use and are given thorough credit including the artist/user who holds the copyright and which source it is from on both pages they have been used and on their file page. These images are not used for commercial purposes, they are solely used for educational purposes and for the good of the public. Some images have been cropped to fit the small templates I created for this website, but no photoshopping to the content has been done, and all photographs have been protected from any vandalism by being put behind a "Administrator Only" protection. If you would like your image removed, you can message me through my inaturalist page at* https://www.inaturalist.org/people/1492883. *My ultimate gratitude goes out to those who give their time to capture our planet's beautiful wildlife, this couldn't be done without you guys and I dedicate this project in part to all of the photographers referenced on this website, and all the other wildlife photographers around the world. The awareness you bring to all wildlife through digital or printed form is the only way the average human being will ever be able to see the vast majority of the wildlife on this planet. It really brings us all closer in our fight for animal conservation, and a better future!*

## **FAQ**

**Q:** What is considered the South?

**A:** We decided to comply with the Official United States Census Bureau's definition of the South. This includes Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

**Q:** How are the species distribution maps made, and how do I read them?

**A:** These distribution maps are all created by hand based on both reliable online databases and published works. Making a map by no means guarantees that the listed species is found in all areas shaded, or a individual cannot be found outside the shaded area. These range maps are created to the best of my ability, and are built off of multiple data sources to attempt to create the most accurate and up-to-date distribution maps for these species. These maps, however, are a constant work in progress, and there may be errors. Also for data poor species or invasive species making these maps can be a hefty challenge, and some species pages may not feature a range map. To find a key to how these maps work click **here** (link coming soon).

## Important articles

**Mammals of the South** (work in progress)

**Reptiles of the South** (coming soon)

**Amphibians of the South** (coming soon)

**Birds of the South** (coming soon)

**Fish of the South** (coming soon)

(more coming soon)

*Need help building out this community?*

* Rules of this wiki
* Getting Started
* How to Contribute
* Managing your new community
* Guides
* All Help articles

You can also be part of the larger Fandom family of communities. Visit Fandom's Community Central!

*Community Founders*: Write a good and paragraph-length description for your welcome section about your topic. Let your readers know what your topic is about and add some general information about it. Then you should visit the admin dashboard for more tips.