Do You Know All Of Washington’s 33 Endangered Species?

What's your favorite endangered species?

For many people, it's the wolf or the tiger. For others, it's polar bears or pandas. Lately, I've been drawn to the whale shark, which just seems like the most huggable big fish in the ocean, but it's hard to pin down a favorite when they're all so interesting.

To say I love animals is probably an understatement. When I was young, my dream jobs were veterinarian and zoologist. Reality gave me a few hard checks along that path as I got older, but I've never stopped being a "bio nerd". So recently I found myself looking into what endangered species are here in our own Evergreen State, Washington.

Species You Didn't Know Were At Risk

While it's not native to Washington, did you know that the Monarch Butterfly is endangered? Or how about the Wolverine?

Did you know that there's a rare species of pygmy rabbit native only to a small part of Washington's Columbia Basin - and that if not for the help of scientists, it would already be extinct?

How about the many salmon of our ocean and rivers - the Chinook, the Coho, the Chum? Did you realize that all of those species of salmon are nearly endangered, and are the driving reason behind so much conversation about dams in the state?

READ MORE: Horrific Crisis: WA Wolves Being Mysteriously Poisoned

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Let's see how many you know

Washington State is home to 33 species that are federally endangered. Some of these species are migratory, and some live here year-round. In fact, some of these species have already become "extirpated" - a word that essentially means they are extinct in the state until or unless they can be repopulated.

Take a look through the list below and see how many of these you know about. If one tugs at your heartstrings, consider learning more about it and finding out how you can help efforts to save it from extinction.