Editing Maryland (section)

===Fauna===
[[File:Assateague Island horses August 2009 4.jpg|thumb|A feral [[Chincoteague Pony]] on Assateague Island on Maryland's Atlantic coastal islands]]
The state harbors a considerable number of [[white-tailed deer]], especially in the woody and mountainous west of the state, and overpopulation can become a problem. Mammals can be found ranging from the mountains in the west to the central areas and include [[American black bear|black bears]],<ref name="Maryland Wildlife">{{cite web|url=http://www.sailor.lib.md.us/MD_topics/res/env_ani.html |title=Maryland Animals |access-date=August 30, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070830021023/http://www.sailor.lib.md.us/MD_topics/res/env_ani.html |archive-date=August 30, 2007 }}</ref> [[bobcat]]s,<ref>
{{cite web
|title=Lions in our mountains? The mystery of cougars in Maryland
|url=http://www.dnr.state.md.us/naturalresource/fall2007/lions.pdf
|first=Glenn
|last=Therres
|date=Fall 2007
|website=Wildlife and Heritage
|publisher=Maryland Department of Natural Resources
|access-date=July 6, 2009
|quote=Historically bobcats were distributed statewide but during the post colonization period densities began to plummet. By the mid-1900s, populations had probably reached all-time lows, with remnant populations existing only in western Maryland. This prompted the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) to classify them as a state-listed "Species of Special Concern." During the past quarter century, occupied range and densities have increased markedly. Results from the annual Bowhunter Survey and the Hunter Mail survey have identified bobcat sightings in 14 of Maryland's 23 counties. Currently, bobcats have dual legal classification in Maryland. In addition to the Species of Special Concern designation, they are also defined as a Game Animal / Furbearer with a closed harvest season.
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110419203123/http://www.dnr.state.md.us/naturalresource/fall2007/lions.pdf
|archive-date=April 19, 2011
}}</ref> foxes, [[coyote]]s,<ref>
{{cite web
|title=Coyotes in Maryland
|url=http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Hunt_Trap/furbearers/coyote.asp
|publisher=Maryland Department of Natural Resources
|access-date=September 16, 2011
|quote=Coyotes were historically a western species with core populations found west of the Mississippi River. Alterations and/or elimination of competing predators during the post-European colonization period facilitated rapid range expansion into eastern North America during the 20th Century. Established populations now occur in every state and province in North America. Coyotes are a relatively new addition to local ecosystems, and were first documented in Maryland during 1972. Initial substantiated sightings occurred in Cecil, Frederick and Washington counties. Since that time population densities and occupied range have expanded incrementally and coyotes now occur statewide.
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815030808/http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Hunt_Trap/furbearers/coyote.asp
|archive-date=August 15, 2011
}}</ref> raccoons, and otters.<ref name="Maryland Wildlife" />

There is a population of rare wild (feral) horses found on [[Assateague Island]].<ref name="horse">{{Cite web |url=http://www.assateagueisland.com/wildlife/pony.htm |title=Assateague Island National Seashore wild Ponies |publisher=Assateagueisland.com |access-date=October 24, 2010 |archive-date=March 4, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304232538/http://www.assateagueisland.com/wildlife/pony.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> They are believed to be descended from horses who escaped from Spanish galleon shipwrecks.<ref name="horse" /> Every year during the last week of July, they are captured and swim across a shallow bay for sale at [[Chincoteague, Virginia]], a conservation technique which ensures the tiny island is not overrun by the horses.<ref name="horse" /> The ponies and their sale were popularized by the children's book, ''[[Misty of Chincoteague (novel)|Misty of Chincoteague]].''

The purebred [[Chesapeake Bay Retriever]] dog was bred specifically for water sports, hunting and search and rescue in the Chesapeake area.<ref name="Maryland1">{{cite web |url=http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/breeds/chessies.html |title=Chesapeake Bay Retriever History |publisher=K9web.com |access-date=October 24, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101024192224/http://www.k9web.com/dog-faqs/breeds/chessies.html |archive-date=October 24, 2010 }}</ref> In 1878, the Chesapeake Bay Retriever was the first individual retriever breed recognized by the [[American Kennel Club]].<ref name="Maryland1" /> and was later adopted by the [[University of Maryland, Baltimore County]] as their mascot.

Maryland's reptile and amphibian population includes the [[diamondback terrapin]] turtle, which was adopted as the mascot of [[University of Maryland, College Park]], as well as the threatened [[Eastern box turtle]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Eastern Box Turtle |url=https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/viewSpecies.php?species=865 |publisher=Maryland Biodiversity Project |access-date=July 8, 2018 |archive-date=July 9, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709010633/https://www.marylandbiodiversity.com/viewSpecies.php?species=865 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The state is part of the territory of the [[Baltimore oriole]], which is the official state bird and mascot of the [[Major League Baseball|MLB]] team the [[Baltimore Orioles]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/symbols/bird.html |title=Maryland Government Website—Maryland State Bird |publisher=Msa.md.gov |date=June 7, 2010 |access-date=October 24, 2010 |archive-date=May 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100527153052/http://www.msa.md.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/html/symbols/bird.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Aside from the oriole, [[List of Maryland birds|435 other species of birds]] have been reported from Maryland.<ref name="MRC2">{{cite web|url=http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/mdlist.pdf|title=Official list of the birds of Maryland|website=Maryland/District of Columbia Records Committee|access-date=May 4, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180709010629/http://www.mdbirds.org/mddcrc/pdf/mdlist.pdf|archive-date=July 9, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The state insect is the [[Baltimore checkerspot|Baltimore checkerspot butterfly]], although it is not as common in Maryland as it is in the southern edge of its range.<ref>[http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1753 Euphydryas phaeton (Drury, 1773)] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100906132330/http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species?l=1753|date=September 6, 2010}}, ''Butterflies and Moths of North America''</ref>