[57], Due to the geographic separation and perceived cultural and political differences from the Lower Peninsula, at various times there have been proposals for the Upper Peninsula to secede from Michigan as a 51st state named Superior, sometimes including portions of northern Wisconsin and/or the northern Lower Peninsula. Michigans Upper Peninsula is home to many of the Midwests most treasured wildlife species. It ranges across most of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, so its important to be aware of what these snakes look like when outdoors in Michigan. Deer ticks are about the size of a sesame seed and nearly impossible to spot prior to attaching to a host. [69][70] The peninsula has extensive coastline on the Great Lakes, large tracts of state and national forests, cedar swamps, more than 150 waterfalls, and low population densities. It has been illegal to own a cougar or large exotic cats such as African lions, leopards, and jaguars, in Michigan since 2000. In 1764, they began negotiations with the British, resulting in temporary peace and changes in objectionable British policies. Until the bridge was completed in 1957, travel between the two peninsulas was difficult and slow (and sometimes even impossible during winter). [80][81] They are: US 2 in Iron County (Iron County Heritage Trail) and in Schoolcraft and Mackinac counties (Top of the Lake Scenic Byway), US 41 from Houghton to Copper Harbor (Copper County Trail, also a National Scenic Byway), M-35 (UP Hidden Coast Recreational Heritage Trail), M-123 (Tahquamenon Scenic Heritage Route) and M-134 (M-134 North Huron Byway), There are 43 airports in the Upper Peninsula. The American Bison is an iconic species that was once abundant across much of North America. In alphabetical order, the counties are: Alcona, Alger, Allegan, Alpena, Antrim, Arenac, Baraga, Barry, Bay, Benzie, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Clare, Clinton, Crawford, Delta, Dickinson, Eaton, Emmet, Genesee, Gladwin, Gogebic, Grand Traverse, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Houghton, Huron, Ingham, Ionia, Here is a look at a few species that you want to avoid next time you are in Michigan and how to identify them. M-185 encircles Mackinac Island as the only state highway in the country without motor vehicles. The Wolverine has become entrenched in the states culture and pride, with many schools, sports teams, and businesses using it as their mascot or logo. Interstate75 is the only freeway in the region and runs from the Mackinac Bridge at St. Ignace to the International Bridge at Sault Ste. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It was the largest supplier of iron ore by the 1890s, and production continued to a peak in the 1920s, but sharply declined shortly afterward. The heavily forested land, soil types, short growing season, and logistical factors (e.g. These include ferries for Sugar Island, Neebish Island, and Drummond Island. WebAccording to estimates, approximately 12,000 black bears currently live in Michigan. They are venomous and, unlike bees, do not die after one sting. American bittern ( Botanus Maple syrup is a highly prized local delicacy. "The UP" redirects here. The Polyphemus moth doesnt and can't eat, except when it's a caterpillar! Its estimated that 1.5 to 2 million deer live in the state, making it one of the most popular animals to hunt. They have a symbiotic relationship with ants. There are many places in Michigan where you can see wildlife. When it comes to animals, Michigan is home to a wide variety of species. Nestled in the heart of Michigans Upper Peninsula, the St. Marys River flows between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, offering a diverse range of habitats for various species of wildlife.While many may associate this region with its stunning natural scenery and rich history, few are aware of the slithering residents that call this area home. Sandhill crane in Michigan. There are approximately 700 gray wolves living in Michigan and almost all of them reside in the Upper Peninsula. [93] Fresh Great Lakes fish, such as the lake trout, whitefish, and (in the spring) smelt are widely eaten. One of the most well-known of the arachnids, the Black Widow Spider, is commonly found in the western lower peninsula of Michigan. The American Bird Conservancy and the National Audubon Society have designated several locations as internationally Important Bird Areas.[15]. John Jacob Astor founded the American Fur Company on Mackinac Island in 1808; however, the industry began to decline in the 1830s as beaver and other game were overhunted.[3]. The three biggest animals found in Michigan are the American Bison, White-tailed Deer, and Moose. The majority of grey wolves in Michigan live in the Upper Peninsula. Learn more. When Michigan applied for statehood in the 1830s, the proposal corresponded to the original territorial boundaries. This is about 48 miles from the southern Marquette County photo taken on October 6. Black bears can be identified by their black fur. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment (DNRE)[b] formed a four-person team to investigate sightings in the state. Its estimated that populations declined by around 50% over a decade-long period throughout their entire range. [4], Thousands of Americans and immigrants moved to the area during the mining boom, prompting the federal government to create Fort Wilkins near Copper Harbor to maintain order. Most wildlife living in Michigan is harmless. Thats why you see all these red pines they came and planted. Sanders said as he walked through the woods. If you are stung, it is important to not swat or squash the wasps as it will further irritate the wasps. Kirtland warbler in Michigan. The name itself is a French translation of the original Ojibwe word mishigami, which means larger water or large lake. Upper Peninsula natives speak a dialect influenced by Scandinavian and French-Canadian speech. Located in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwest, Michigan is a temperate state containing numerous lakes, expansive grasslands, waterfalls, and immense forests. First inhabited by Algonquian-speaking native American tribes, the area was explored by French colonists, then occupied by British forces, before being ceded to the newly established United States in the late 18th century. This is a result of both proximity and the broadcast and print media of the area. This regionalism is not only a result of the physical separation of the two peninsulas, but also the history of the state. In January 1837, the U.S. Congress admitted Michigan as a state of the Union. As tiger trout are sterile, they cannot produce offspring. Nestled in the heart of Michigans Upper Peninsula, the St. Marys River flows between Lake Superior and Lake Huron, offering a diverse range of habitats for Some blue racers have smooth scales that are solid electric blue while others are grayish or brownish. The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. An 1847 survey established the east branch of the Montreal River as the border. NEW! However, there was an armed conflict known as the Toledo War with the state of Ohio over the location of their mutual border. The Eastern milk snake (Lampropeltis triangulum) is one of the snake species that can be found in Michigans St. Marys River region. WildlifeInformer.com is your #1 source for free information about all types of wildlife and exotic pets. As a result, Michigan has more freshwater coastal dunes than any state in the entire country. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. It also contains most of the state-run parks and wildlife reserves. According to the 2010 census, 103,211 people live in the 12 towns of at least 4,000 people, covering 96.5 square miles (250km2). Go to Ralph A. MacMullan Conference Center, Carl T. Johnson Hunting and Fishing Center, Go to Recreational safety and hunter education, Natural and Historical Education Resources for Home, Cultural & Scientific Collectors Permit (Fisheries), Collaborative Forest Management: The Good Neighbor Authority, Assistance for Private Forest Land Owners, County and Municipal Law Enforcement Information, Fisheries Division Citizens Advisory Committees, Michigan History Center Commissions & Committees, Northern Lake Michigan Islands Collaborative, Pigeon River Country Equestrian Committee, Timber and Forest Products Advisory Council, Upper Peninsula Citizens' Advisory Councils. Eastern Massasauga Rattlesnake This is the, Black Widow Spider Easily identified by the large body size and the black and red color scheme, the black widow can deliver powerful venom with dangerous neurotoxins. is the northern and more elevated of the two major landmasses that make up the U.S. state of Michigan; it is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac. There is a large variety of birds, including hawks, osprey, owls, gulls, hummingbirds, chickadees, robins (the state bird), woodpeckers, warblers, and bald eagles. There are also many plant species that have been transported to the Great Lakes, including purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria[27] and Phragmites australis, both of which are considered to be a threat to native hydrophyte wetland plants.[28][29]. There are one Interstate Highway, five US Highways and 24 other state highways in the Upper Peninsula. In 2005, ShermanTravel, LLC listed the Upper Peninsula as #10 in its assessment of all travel destinations worldwide. The most dangerous mammals in Michigan, or just any predators in general, are probably wolves and black bears. The six westernmost counties experienced the largest decrease, from a 1920 population of 153,674 to a 2020 population of 79,392. Kirtlands Warbler In order to thrive, this small yellow-bellied songbird needs a large region of dense young jack pine forests to breed in. Habitat loss is thought to be the main reason behind its population decline. Thimbleberry jam and chokecherry jelly are a treat.[95]. Four of them have been detected in the state and the fifth one is just one you should know the symptoms of. Mines reopened during World War II, but almost all quickly closed after the war ended. Well show you how to identify it, and why its dangerous. A constitutional convention of the state legislature refused, but a second convention, hastily convened by Governor Stevens Thomson Mason, consisting primarily of his supporters, agreed in December 1836 to the deal. Marie Railway, Duluth, South Shore and Atlantic Railroad, Michigan Department of Environmental Quality, "Publication, Access and Preservation of Scandinavian Immigrant Press in North America", "The MichiganWisconsin Boundary Dispute", "Evolution of Michigan's Legal Boundaries", "When you enter Michigan's Upper PeninsulaYou enter a world of the finest attractions and unique experiences unmatched anywhere in the Midwest", "Executive Order No. In 1881, the Mackin The area of the Upper Peninsula north of Green Bay through Menominee and Escanaba (and extending west to Iron River) does not have the extreme weather and precipitation found to the north. Whereas the French cultivated alliances among the Indians, the British postwar approach was to treat the tribes as conquered peoples. In the early 20th century, 75% of the population was foreign-born. Houghton is where professional ice hockey was first started in 1904.[87][88]. However, they do have relatively long lifespans and can live up to 10 years in captivity. Until the bridge was completed in 1957, travel between the two peninsulas was difficult and slow (and sometimes even impossible during winter). Some Finnish foods such as juusto (squeaky cheese, essentially a cheese curd, like Leipjuusto) and saunamakkara (a ring-bologna sausage) have become so ubiquitous in Upper Peninsula cuisine that they are now commonly found in most grocery stores and supermarkets. Covering some 10,000 acres of hardwood forests and shorelines, it is home to one of Michigans largest remaining populations of piping plovers, plus many of the aforementioned wild animals. They are brown and easily identified with a violin-shaped mark on their body. Their venom can cause damage to your circulatory system destroying blood cells and skin tissue resulting in internal hemorrhaging. Snakes also like open grassy fields where they can bask in the sunshine during the day. The three major bridges in the Upper Peninsula are: Despite its rural character, there are public buses in several counties of the Upper Peninsula.[83]. Find camping and overnight lodging options, reservation info, rules and regulations and more. Beginning in 1923, the State of Michigan operated automobile ferries between the two peninsulas. Visitor Centers across the state provide education programs, field trips, archery, fishing, trails and much more. Paper Wasp stings can be painful and cause redness and swelling. Early settlers included multiple waves of people from Nordic countries, and people of Finnish ancestry make up 16% of the peninsula's population; the UP is home to the highest concentration of Finns outside Europe and the only counties of the United States where a plurality of residents claim Finnish ancestry. The Keweenaw Peninsula is home to bald eagles, ospreys, and other raptors that soar over forested areas such as Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park. State park, historic sites and visitor center events. American Indian casinos contribute to the tourist attractions and are popular in the UP. In 1819, the territory was expanded to include the remainder of the Upper Peninsula, all of what later became Wisconsin, and part of Minnesota (previously included in the Indiana and Illinois Territories). In some areas, fox snakes and gopher snakes have crossbred in the wild. In the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, Republican candidate Donald Trump won all counties except Marquette County. Its natural range is now restricted to Michigan and Indiana, but it was once much more widespread. I am a freelance writer with 22 years of experience. EEE will attack the brain and spinal cord, which is always dangerous. Some folklore associate Black Witch Moths with bad luck (and even death! Spiders, grasshoppers, crickets, and other invertebrates are probably among the most common animals in the state. Two of the most dangerous diseases that mosquitoes spread are the West Nile Virus and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE). Marie Evening News that serve the rest of the UP The Mining Journal, based in Marquette, is the only daily newspaper that publishes a Sunday edition, which is distributed, with the exception of Chippewa and eastern Mackinac counties, across the entire UP (the other six days are distributed in its local area only). It is bounded on the north by Lake Superior, on the east by St. Marys River, on the south by Lake Michigan and Lake Huron, and on the west by Wisconsin and (counting the water border on Lake Superior) by Minnesota. We also share helpful tips and guides on a variety of topics related to animals and nature. In some cases, commercial cartographers draw incorrect maps that inadvertently annex the Upper Peninsula into Wisconsin.[92]. It has many of the same animals as the other state parks. What predators live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan? Summers tend to be warmer and winter nights much colder. Poweshiek Skipperling Identified by its luminous strange, looking brown and orange wings, this rare prairie butterfly once stretched across most of the Midwest, but it has since suffered from habitat degradation. If problems exist outside regular hunting or trapping seasons, coyotes can be killed without a license on private land by the landowner or a designee if the coyote is doing or about to do damage to private They are so named because they "march" in armies of worms from one crop to another in search of food. These massive creatures stand over 6 feet tall and can weigh as much as 1,800 pounds! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Tahquamenon Falls State Park, located near the town of Paradise in the Upper Peninsula, is the second largest park in the state. In Michigan black bears, gray wolves and cougars should be indicators of the healthy state of the ecosystem. The spiders like dark, dry spaces like garages, hollow stumps, and dense vegetation. The American robin is the official state bird, the brook trout is the state fish, the painted turtle is the state reptile, and the official state game animal is the white-tailed deer. They are all black with two red triangles that form an hourglass on the underside of their abdomen. The Upper Peninsula supplied 90% of America's copper by the 1860s. Because of the surrounding waters and northern latitude, it receives more snow than most of the eastern U.S. Small amounts of gold have also been discovered and mined. [68] Stands of hemlock and hardwood in the western reaches of the forest experienced larger scale selection-cutting beginning in the mid-20th century. Beech bark disease and beech leaf disease both target species of beech trees. Meanwhile, the people of Michigan approved a constitution in May 1835 and elected state officials in late autumn 1835. The United States Forest Service and Federal Highway Administration have designated certain roads within the several National Forests in the UP as Federal Forest Highways. The species nearly went extinct from its natural Midwest range in the middle of the 20th century, but thanks to the preservation of its natural habitat, numbers have since rebounded. Michigan is home to a variety of animals, and some can pose a threat to humans. [79] MDOT has also designated five UP highways as Pure Michigan Byways for their historic, recreational or scenic qualities. WebIn Michigan, the small-mouthed salamander is listed as an endangered species and the marbled salamander and the six-lined racerunner are listed as threatened. [22], There are also many invasive species that are primarily brought in the ballast water of foreign ships, usually from the ocean bordering Northeastern Asia. Copperbelly Water Snake This subspecies of the plain-bellied water snake is currently threatened by pollution, poaching, and loss of suitable wetlands and woodlands. When you click and buy we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. Other reasons why animals may be going extinct or becoming endangered in Michigan include climate change, pollution, the introduction of invasive species, disease outbreaks, and hybridization with other related species. In summer, it might be 10F (5.6C) cooler at lakeside than it is inland, and the opposite effect is seen in winter. 2011-1: Executive Reorganization Department of Natural Resources and Environment Creating the Department of Natural Resources and Department of Environmental Quality", "On the Cougar Trail: Team Investigates Sightings, Tracks Throughout UP, State", 10.1674/0003-0031(2006)155[363:DACOCI]2.0.CO;2, "Does a Population of Cougars Exist in Michigan? [84] Finlandia University, America's only college with Finnish roots, is located in Hancock. What is the most dangerous mammal in Michigan? Michigan's Upper Peninsula is bounded on land by Wisconsin to the southwest and west; and in territorial waters by Minnesota to the west, Ontario to the west, north and east, and the Door Peninsula of Wisconsin extends into Lake Michigan east of the western Upper Peninsula. The biologists with the DNRE currently do not believe that there is a breeding population anywhere in the state, rather that the sighted animals are visitors to the state. There are approximately 17,000 black bears living in Michigan, and they mostly live in the upper peninsula. I live in the Pacific Northwest and am surrounded by nature. Four of them have been detected in the state and the fifth one is just one you should know the symptoms of. The survey estimated 136 packs roam the peninsula in Michigans far north, with an average of four to five animals in each. [89][90] Residents are known as Yoopers (from "UP-ers"), and many consider themselves Yoopers before they consider themselves Michiganders. Click the box above for tips and tricks to fill your basket. The Great Lakes have a great effect on the larger part of the peninsula. The Upper Peninsula has a humid continental climate (Dfb in the Kppen climate classification system). Teddy Yakson as [13] Its highest elevation is Mount Arvon, at 1,979 feet (603m). State prisons are located in Baraga, Marquette, Munising, Newberry, and Kincheloe. Moving southward on the Lower Peninsula, people visit Saugatuck Dunes Natural Area for sightings of black bears, river otters, and sandhill cranes.
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