• Home
  • How We Work
  • Where We Work
  • News Room
  • About Us
  • My Nature Page

Freshwater Animals

 

Get Involved

Join Now

You can explore new places, receive email you want, and build your own personalized nature page when you join the Conservancy's online community.

Explore by Habitat

Every habitat on the planet is home to a unique complex of species. Learn more about the animals that live in:

Protecting The Planet's Freshwater Habitats

Learn more about the Conservancy's work to protect Planet Earth's lakes and rivers.

Fresh water is essential to life on Earth. All land-dwelling creatures need fresh water to survive. Its presence, or absesnce defines every terrestrial habitat. The Nature Conservancy works to protect the planet's freshwater resources, and the animals that depend upon them.

FPO

Amazon River Dolphin

Freshwater dolphins are rare, and becoming rarer. The dolphins of the Amazon are under threat.

FPO

American Alligator

Like its cousin the saltwater crocodile the American alligator is a formidable predator, and is elusive, despite its large size.

FPO

River Otters

These playful creatures need healthy rivers to survive, as do their much larger relations, the giant otter of South America.

FPO

Snow Geese

The annual migration of these geese by their millions is one of Planet Earth's most impressive natural wonders.

FPO

Hippopotumus

These giants of Africa's rivers can be remarkable dangerous, especially to people who come too close in small boats.

FPO

Paddlefish

This unusual fish is a big river specialist, using its paddle-like snout to detect food in the dark waters of the Mississippi River.

Nature picture credits (top to bottom): Photo © Hiroya MinaKuchi / Minden Pictures (Amazon River Dolphin); Photo © Allan J. Sander (American Alligator); Photo © Bruce Sanford (River Otter); Photo © Rob Pavey (Snow Goose); Photo © Steven Allan (hippopotamus); Photo © Jemini Joseph (Paddlefish);