LIST: All about Virginia’s official state animals

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — From the Commonwealth’s state dog to Virginia’s official salamander, Virginia actually has quite a few state animals.

8News has compiled a list of all of Virginia’s state animals, as listed within the Code of Virginia.

Keep scrolling to learn a little about each one.

Official State Bird

The Commonwealth’s official state bird is the northern cardinal.

These medium-sized birds mainly eat seeds but will also eat insects, according to the National Park Service . Female cardinals are actually one of the very few North American female birds that are known to sing.

Male cardinals are bright red, as pictured above, but female cardinals are a pale brown with some red highlights.

Official State Bat

Virginia’s official state bat is the Virginia Big-eared bat — which is very appropriately named, given the size of its ears.

This bat’s ears and snout make it very unique, with few other species of bats in North America resembling it, according to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services .

These bats are considered endangered at the federal and state level, according to the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (DWR) . You can only find the Virginia Big-eared bat in a few of Virginia’s counties, such as Highland, Bath and Rockingham, among others.

Official State Dog

The American Foxhound is Virginia’s official state dog — and the Commonwealth may have George Washington to thank for it.

According to the American Kennel Club , Virginia’s own George Washington was fixated on breeding the perfect hunting dog, as he was fond of fox hunting. It is through that search for such an animal that he became known as the father of the American Foxhound.

He is also thought to have had influence on the breeding of the Bluetick Coonhound, the American English Coonhound and the Treeing Walker Coonhound.

Official State Fish

Virginia has two official state fish — one freshwater and one saltwater. The state’s official freshwater fish is the brook trout and its official saltwater fish is the striped bass.

According to the Virginia DWR , the brook trout is the most colorful of Virginia’s trout. Over 400 streams or portions of streams have brook trout swimming in them. Those interested in seeing native brook trout can visit the Shenandoah National Park or the George Washington and Jefferson National Forest.

The striped bass can be found in lakes like Smith Mountain, Buggs Island and Gaston, among others. According to the Virginia DWR , the Staunton and Roanoke Rivers, as well as all tidal rivers, are also home to striped bass.

Official State Fossil

Virginia’s official state fossil is the Chesapecten jeffersonius.

While this extinct species of scallop may not be around anymore, this animal was once an active part of Virginia’s oceanfront between 8 and 3 million years ago, according to William and Mary’s The Geology of Virginia blog .

Compared to other scallops that lived at the same time, these were reportedly the most abundant. You might be able to find these fossilized sea creatures in Virginia’s coastal cliffs and in major rivers in southeastern Virginia.

Official State Insect

The official state insect for Virginia is the Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly.

This large, beautiful butterfly can come in two forms — yellow, as shown above, and the black or “melanistic” form. According to the Virginia DWR , only females can be melanistic, and this is thought to be a survival strategy, as it makes said females look like the toxic pipevine swallowtail.

These butterflies are abundant and Virginia and can be found in a variety of habitats — so keep an eye out for them next time you’re near a bed of flowers!

Official State Salamander

The Commonwealth’s official state salamander is the red salamander.

According to the Virginia DWR , this brightly-colored amphibian comes in two subspecies: the Northern red salamander, which can be found in most of the state, and the Blue Ridge Salamander which — as the name might imply — can be found in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Its red coloring may be a survival mechanism, meant to mimic the toxic red eft stage of the Red-spotted newt.

Official State Snake

Virginia’s official state snake is the eastern garter snake.

This snake is common throughout the entirety of the United States, according to the National Park Service . They prefer to eat slugs, worms, insects and amphibians.

The University of Virginia advises that these snakes are usually rather docile, though they may become aggressive when something invades their home. However, even if they do bite you, they are non-venomous and their bites are not serious.

Official State Shell

While not quite an animal itself, it’s a part of one — the official state shell for Virginia is an oyster shell.

Fun fact: the Virginia oyster is also the Commonwealth’s official “First Food.”

For more information on all of Virginia’s official state symbols, visit the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s website or check out the relevant code in the Code of Virginia here .

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