Centuries of Wildlife in Ohio

Centuries of Wildlife in Ohio. . , Over the past two centuries, Ohio's forests and wildlife have endured a roller coaster ride of decline and recovery., 1800s: When Ohio became a state in 1803, more than 95% of its land was covered with forest teeming with wildlife including black bears, wolves and bison. As settlers moved in, they cut down forests to farm and polluted rivers. Wildlife suffered from the dramatic habitat destruction as well as from unregulated hunting., 1900s: Less than 10% of Ohio remained forested by the early 1900s. Gradually, people became concerned about the environment. In 1949, the Ohio Department of Natural Resources was established to ensure a balance between wise use and protection of our natural resources. Forests and wildlife began to reclaim the land., 2000s: Today, approximately 30% of Ohio is forested and wildlife populations are the healthiest they've been in the last century. Many species, such as white-tailed deer and wild turkeys, have recovered fully, while others are well along the path to success, including the river otter and bald eagle. Continued conservation, however, will be necessary to restore Ohio's forests and wildlife to their full glory., River Otter , Lutra canadensis , At over 5,000 and counting, the otter's recovery in Ohio has been so successful that it was removed from the Ohio Endangered Species List in 2002. They can be found in at least 44 counties, encompassing 48 watersheds (rivers, streams and lakes)., Black Bear , Ursus americanus , Endangered in Ohio, there were 65 black bear sightings in the state, representing about 41 individual bears in 2003. The bear population is expected to increase as bears move from neighboring states to occupy Ohio's eastern forests., Bobcat , Lynx rufus , In 2003, the Ohio Division of Wildlife received 32 reports of bobcat sightings. The abundance and distribution of bobcats is expected to rise because of the large amount of suitable forested habitat in eastern Ohio., Wild Turkey , Meleagris gallowpavo , Wild turkeys can be found in all of Ohio's 88 counties. The highest densities of turkeys are in the unglaciated eastern counties. Recent reintroductions have been successful in increasing the wild turkey's range into Ohio's western counties.