Animals

The Virginia Living Museum is home to more than 250 species of animals and plants found throughout Virginia including reptiles, mammals, birds and fish. With its rivers and waterfalls, mountains and sandy coast, Virginia has an array of wildlife ranging from the extremely rare red wolf to jellyfish. The Chesapeake Bay is the world’s richest marine-life estuary. Experience the Bay’s diversity year round at the VLM. Plus explore the underwater worlds of a steamy cypress swamp and a cool mountain stream. Most of the mammals and birds on exhibit could not survive in the wild because they were either injured, orphaned or born in captivity.

Other Native Virginia Animals

Eastern Hellbender

Scientific Name: Cryptobranchus alleganiensis alleganiensis

Bullhead Catfish

Scientific Name: Ameiurus spp.

North American Porcupine

Scientific Name: Erethizon dorsatum

Smallmouth Bass

Scientific Name: Micropterus dolomieu

Common Mudpuppy

Scientific Name: Necturus maculosus

Bald eagle

Scientific Name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus

Ocean surgeonfish

Scientific Name: Acanthurus bahianus

Shrimp

Scientific Name: Caridea

White Sucker

Scientific Name: Catostomus commersonii

Opossum

Scientific Name: Didelphidae

Groundhog

Scientific Name: Marmota monax

Cobia

Scientific Name: Rachycentron canadum

Raccoon

Scientific Name: Procyon lotor

Beaver

Scientific Name: Castor Canadensis

Wood Frog

Scientific Name: Rana sylvatica

Lined Seahorse

Scientific Name: Hippocampus erectus

Red Drum

Scientific Name: Sciaenops ocellatus

Black Drum

Scientific Name: Pogonias cromis

Mushroom Leather Coral

Scientific Name: Sarcophyton sp.

Common Snapping Turtle

Scientific Name: Chelydra serpentina

Mountain Redbelly Dace

Scientific Name: Phoxinus oreas

Timber Rattlesnake

Scientific Name: Crotalus horridus

Brown Trout

Scientific Name: Salmo trutta

Windowpane Flounder

Scientific Name: Scophthalmus aquosus

Northern River Otter

Scientific Name: Lontra canadensis

Red Foxes

Scientific Name: Vulpes vulpes

Gag

Scientific Name: Mycteroperca microlepis

Rock Bass

Scientific Name: Ambloplites rupestris

Greater Siren

Scientific Name: Siren lacertina

Eastern Glass Lizard

Scientific Name: Ophisaurus ventralis

Coyote

Scientific Name: Coyotl

Lookdown

Scientific Name: Selene vomer

Yellow Tail Blue Damsel

Scientific Name: Chrysiptera parasema

Channel Catfish

Scientific Name: Ictalurus punctatus

Vultures

Scientific Name: Cathartes

Bubbletip Anemone

Scientific Name: Entamacea quadricolor

Rainbow Trout

Scientific Name: Oncorhynchus mykiss

Flame Angel

Scientific Name: Centropyge loriculus

Grey Snapper

Scientific Name: Lutjanus griseus

Spotted Turtle

Scientific Name: Clemmys guttata

Brook Trout

Scientific Name: Salvelinus fontinalus

American Red Wolf

Scientific Name: Canis Rufus

Bowfin

Scientific Name: Amia calva

American Alligator

Scientific Name: Alligator mississippiensis

Harris Hawk

Scientific Name: Parabuteo unicinctus

Striped Bass

Scientific Name: Morone saxatilis

Eastern Tiger Salamander

Scientific Name: Ambystoma tigrinum tigrinum

Longnose Gar

Scientific Name: Lepisosteus osseus

Common Carp

Scientific Name: Cyprinus carpio
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Heads Up!

The Virginia Living Museum staff will begin setting up for an after hours event around 3PM on the main floor.

This should not interfere with your experience and we will not be closing early.

 

Wild Explorations

Heads Up! The Changing Exhibit Gallery, where our Wild Explorations exhibit lives, will close at 3PM today in preparation for an after hours event!