MNN - Mother Nature Network

One of the most populous areas of the United States, the Southeast is also home to a richly diverse ecosystem. The Southeast is home to stalking panthers, lively parrots, gentle manatees and majestic whales.

 

But it’s a land where the balance between animals and people is precarious. While 17.5 million acres are owned and protected by the government, there are still as many as 322 federally listed endangered species in the region. Here are nine animals currently under threat in the American Southeast.