Animal Species
Beaver
(Castor canadensis)
Beavers are the second largest rodents in the world and are mainly known for their big teeth and dam creations. They create dams in order to protect themselves from predators.
Fun Fact: They are considered a keystone species. Which means, they can impact the environment by turning dry areas into wetlands. Which changes the biodiversity of the area. Their dams also contribute to flood management and drought prevention. This is why to scientists, they are known as ecosystem engineers.
Photo by Krista Daniels
Canada Goose
(Branta canadensis)
Canada geese are birds that are very adaptable and nest in the wetlands throughout Alaska. Many are known to also live in Alaska year-round. They feed on a variety of terrestrial and aquatic plants.
Fun Fact: They mate for life and can live up to 10-20 years. The oldest known Canada goose lived to be 33 years old in 2001.
Photo by Jason Kauffman
Common Water Snake
(Nerodia sipedon)
Common Watersnakes are non-venomous, semi-aquatic snakes found throughout Indiana in rivers, streams, lakes, ponds, and wetlands, where they are often seen basking on rocks or logs near the water’s edge. These sturdy snakes can grow quite large and vary in color from patterned gray or brown to nearly solid dark as they age, which sometimes causes them to be mistaken for venomous species. Common Watersnakes feed mainly on fish, frogs, and other aquatic animals, and while they may act defensively if approached, they pose no danger to people and play an important role in Indiana’s aquatic ecosystems.
Fun Fact: Common watersnakes can flatten their bodies when threatened, making themselves look bigger and more intimidating—even though they’re completely non-venomous!
Photo by Annie Aguirre
Crayfish
Crayfish are a common and important part of Indiana’s freshwater ecosystems, living in streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, and wetlands across the state. Often called crawdads, these small crustaceans play a key role as both predators and scavengers, feeding on plants, insects, and decaying organic matter while also serving as food for fish, birds, reptiles, and mammals. Indiana is home to dozens of crayfish species, some of which are found nowhere else, making clean water and healthy habitats especially important for their survival.
Fun Fact: Crayfish can regrow lost claws and legs over time—so if one escapes a predator, it may literally grow back what it lost!
Photo by Ryan Miller
Damselfly
(Odonata, Suborder: Zygoptera)
Damselflies are slender, delicate insects closely related to dragonflies and are commonly found near lakes, ponds, rivers, and wetlands throughout Indiana. Unlike dragonflies, damselflies typically rest with their wings folded together over their bodies and are weaker, slower fliers. They begin life in the water as aquatic nymphs, where they help control populations of small insects before emerging as adults. Indiana is home to many species of damselflies, and their presence is often a sign of good water quality, making them an important indicator of healthy freshwater habitats.
Fun Fact: Damselflies have incredible vision—each of their eyes is packed with thousands of lenses, allowing them to spot tiny flying insects in midair and catch prey with impressive precision!
Photo by Jason Kauffman
Dragonfly
(Odonata, Suborder: Anisoptera)
Dragonflies begin life in the water as dragonfly nymphs, where they can spend up to three years growing, molting, and hunting as highly effective predators using a remarkable hinged jaw that snaps forward with incredible speed. After emerging as adults, they live for about a month and are easily recognized by their fast, agile flight and their habit of resting with wings held horizontally, unlike damselflies that hold their wings together vertically. Dragonflies play an important role in the ecosystem as both predators—especially of mosquitoes—and prey, but the ongoing loss of freshwater habitats such as wetlands threatens their populations, making the protection of these habitats especially important.
Fun Fact: Dragonflies can fly backwards just as well as they can fly forwards. They do this by being able to use their four wings independently, in pairs, or all together.
Another Fun Fact: Dragonflies have around 3000 species.
Photo by Boston Snyder
Freshwater Mussels
Freshwater mussels may be easy to overlook, but they provide essential services that keep freshwater ecosystems functioning. Hidden beneath rocks, sand, and mud, these animals act as natural water filters, removing suspended materials, bacteria, and even some pollutants, while also helping stabilize stream bottoms and improve oxygen exchange as they burrow. They are an important food source for fish, mammals, and birds, and their presence is a strong indicator of good water quality and healthy habitat. Even after death, their shells continue to support aquatic life by providing habitat. Indiana was once home to about 80 freshwater mussel species, but due to overharvesting and habitat loss, only around 60 species remain in the state’s waterways today—highlighting the importance of protecting clean, healthy freshwater habitats.
Fun Fact: Freshwater mussels are long-lived, and their age can be determined by counting the rings in a mussel’s shell, just as we can determine the age of a tree by counting its rings.
Another Fun Fact: Freshwater mussel shells were used to make buttons as well as pearl inlays for gun and knife handles.
Photo by Donny Aleo
Golden Redhorse Fish
(Moxostoma erythrurum)
The Golden Redhorse is a freshwater, bottom-feeding fish found in streams, creeks, and rivers across much of the eastern United States, as well as parts of Canada, and it thrives in waters with mixed substrates like sand and rocks. Known for its gold-to-bronze sides, olive back, white belly, and slate-gray tail, this sucker fish typically grows 12–18 inches long but can reach over 2 feet in length. It feeds on small aquatic organisms such as insect larvae, mollusks, and other invertebrates, can live at least 17 years, and usually begins breeding between 3 and 5 years of age.
Fun Fact: The Golden Redhorse is one of eight Redhorse species found in Indiana waterways.
Another Fun Fact: During the mating season (April and May), the male golden redhorse will have bumps across its nose.
Photo by Joe Foy
Great Blue Heron
(Ardea herodias)
The Great Blue Heron is widespread across Indiana and is commonly found along rivers, streams, wetlands, lakes and other aquatic habitats. In the Saint Joseph River watershed — with its mix of rivers, marshes, floodplains and slower-moving water bodies — herons find plenty of good feeding and nesting grounds, especially along shores, river edges, and wetlands.
Fun Fact: Great Blue Herons have flexible neck vertebrae that let them coil their neck into a tight “S”-shape before striking — enabling lightning-fast lunges to catch prey.
Photo by Jason Potsander
Green Frog
(Lithobates clamitans (formerly Rana clamitans))
The Green Frog is common throughout Indiana, including in the kinds of habitats found in the Saint Joseph River watershed — slow-moving or still waters like ponds, backwater areas, wetlands, marshes, and the edges of streams or rivers. Because the watershed includes a variety of aquatic habitats, Green Frogs likely contribute to the amphibian community there.
Fun Fact: The call of the Green Frog is often described as sounding like a “loose banjo string” being plucked — a twanging “plunk” or “clunk.”
Photo by Joshua Petrillo
Mallard Duck
(Anas platyrhynchos)
The Mallard is abundant across North America and common in Indiana. It inhabits freshwater wetlands, ponds, shallow lakes, marshes — and rivers — all of which exist within the Saint Joseph River watershed. The mosaic of rivers, backwaters, marshes, and floodplain wetlands in Elkhart County likely provides good feeding and nesting opportunities for Mallards.
Fun Fact: The classic “duck quack” sound — the stereotypical duck quack — is made by female Mallards; males (drakes) usually make softer whistles or raspy notes.
Photo by Annie Aguirre
Macroinvertebrates
Macroinvertebrates are small animals without backbones that live in water and are big enough to see without a microscope. They include creatures like insect larvae, snails, and crayfish that crawl, cling, and swim through streams and ponds. These tiny animals play a huge role by breaking down food, feeding fish, and helping scientists tell how healthy a waterway is.
Fun Fact: Some macroinvertebrates are so sensitive to pollution that scientists use them as living water-quality detectors.
Another Fun Fact: There can be hundreds of different types of macroinvertebrates living in a single region in Indiana.
Photo by Kirsta Daniels
Midland Painted Turtle
(Chrysemys picta marginata)
This colorful small (4-6 in.) turtle is a flagship species found in shallow waters across Indiana. Their distinctive red and yellow stripes and red markings at the edge of their carapace and underbelly are easy to spot when they bask in the sun. Their visibility and appeal draw attention to wetland health and conservation.
Fun Fact: Midland Painted Turtles are true long-lifers! In the wild, they often cruise through 30–40 years, and in captivity, some reach an impressive 55–60 years, making them some of the toughest, longest-living turtles in North America.
Another Fun Fact: While these turtles are hardy and abundant, they are still on the watch list of species at risk of losing their habitats.
Photo by Annie Aguirre
Muskrat
(Ondatra zibethicus)
Muskrats are large semi-aquatic rodents that look like beavers but are more closely related to mice. They get their name from the strong smell they produce during mating season and to mark their territory. Muskrats spend most of their time in water and are usually found in shallow areas such as streams, wetlands, retention ponds, and drainage ditches. Mainly vegetarians, they may also eat fish, frogs, small turtles, or mussels.
Fun Fact: Don’t let the cute furry face fool you! Muskrats have sharp teeth to fight off predators.
Photo by Ryan Miller
Northern Leopard Frog
(Lithobates pipiens)
The Northern Leopard Frog is native to the US and Canada. They grow between 2-3 inches in length. They are green with dark spots on its back and a white belly. They have a deep snore-like call and can be found throughout Indiana, typically in wet areas like bogs, streams, and ponds.
Fun Fact: They can lay between 600-6,000 eggs!
Another Fun Fact: The Northern Leopard Frog was once considered a Species of Special Concern due to serious declines in their population. Their population has since recovered in Indiana due to habitat restoration efforts, and were officially removed from the list in our state in 2018.
Photo by Ella McHugh
Rock Bass Fish
(Ambloplites rupestris)
Rock Bass Fish are a freshwater fish native to east-central North America. They can grow up to 17 inches in length, but are typically under 12 inches. They have red eyes, spines along their fins, and range from golden brown to olive colored with a white to silver colored belly, but they are able to rapidly change their color to match their surroundings. They prefer clear, rocky, and vegetated stream pools and lake margins and are often found near rocky shorelines.
Fun Fact: They are a member of the sunfish family and can often be found with other sunfish and bass
Another Fun Fact: They are most active during the summer and spend most of their time in a relatively small area
Photo by Joshua Petrillo
Sandhill Crane
(Antigone canadensis)
Sandhill Cranes are large-bodied birds with long necks, legs, and bills. They are 3-5 feet tall with a wingspan of 6 feet. They are very social, migrating, foraging, and roosting together in large numbers. They have a distinctive bugling call that can be heard during their migration flights. They are native to North America. They breed in northern areas (mainly Canada) and migrate through the US, stopping in wetlands along their way to Florida/Central America.
Fun Fact: They mate for life and lay 1 – 3 eggs, once a year.
Photo by Joshua Petrillo
Plant Species / Other
Buttonbush
(Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Buttonbush is an Indiana native and a wet-soil tolerant shrub found near marshes, wetlands, and river banks. The fragrant flowers of this shrub are globe-like in shape and bloom from June through August, attracting wildlife such as butterflies and birds. The leaves of the Buttonbush emerge late in the Spring and might look dead until mid-May.
Fun Fact: Buttonbush flowers attract over 24 species of birds, including robins, kingbirds, and towhee.
Photo by Joshua Petrillo
Ground Ivy
(Glechoma hederacea)
Ground Ivy, also known as Creeping Charlie, is an invasive perennial plant that forms evergreen mats that spread 1-3 feet and can grow up to one foot tall. It can grow in very nutrient-poor soil under moist, shaded conditions. Ground Ivy has small purple flowers that bloom in spring and summer and can attract various pollinators with its delicate scent.
Fun Fact: Ground ivy has square stems, a characteristic of most plants in the mint family and smells minty when crushed or mowed.
Photo by Jason Kauffman
Pancake Ice
(Glacies limnicus)
Pancake ice forms when cold temperatures combine with flowing, turbulent river water, causing small ice crystals to clump together and bump along the surface until they create round, flat, pancake-shaped discs. While this type of ice is a normal and often beneficial part of winter river conditions, large buildups can impact river flow and safety, making it useful to observe as a way to better understand seasonal river behavior.
Fun Fact: This phenomenon is a natural sign of winter conditions and an early stage of river ice formation. It helps insulate the water, supporting fish and other aquatic life during cold weather, and shows how a river responds to changes in temperature and water flow.
Photo by Ryan Miller
Skunk Cabbage
(Symplocarpus foetidus)
Skunk cabbage, also known as swamp cabbage, is one of our first native plants to flower. This unusual-looking flower emerges from moist soil in very early spring and is followed by large, green, cabbage-like leaves that can reach 3 feet tall. This wetland perennial emits a foul scent to attract flies and other carrion-feeding insects, which in turn pollinate the plant.
Fun Fact: Skunk cabbage is thermogenic. Through a chemical process, the flower can heat itself to about 60 degrees. This allows it to burn its way through snow cover and become accessible to early pollinators.
Photo by Krista Daniels
Water Lily
(Nymphea)
Water lilies are flowering plants that tend to grow in ponds. They contribute to a pond’s health by providing shade to the water. This allows for the water to become cooler to minimize algae growth and shelter fish from predators like birds.
Fun Fact: There are 2 types of water lilies: hardy (can continue to grow in the winter) and tropical (cannot continue to grow in the winter and are known as annuals).
Another Fun Fact: They contribute to the pond’s health, both to the waters and species.
Photo by Joshua Petrillo