Oklahoma Wildlife Action Plan

Rich Lands, Waters, and Wildlife

Gravel bottom stream/ODWC

Oklahoma's plant communities range from Bald Cypress swamps in the southeast to the vegetation of the Rocky Mountain foothills in the far northwest. The variety in between includes prairies, shrublands and forests.

Oklahoma's habitats support locally healthy populations of migrating shorebirds and songbirds, such as Oklahoma’s state bird, the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. The eastern forests of Oklahoma support rich communities of songbirds, salamanders and bats. Oklahoma’s rivers support an impressive diversity of fish and freshwater mussels unique to eastern regions of the country. In the prairies of western Oklahoma, globally rare species are found, such as the Texas Horned Lizard, Loggerhead Shrike, Swift Fox and other prairie icons like the Black-tailed Prairie Dog, Long-billed Curlew and Lesser Prairie Chicken.

Oklahoma's Planning Approach

Oklahoma’s wildlife action plan is a guide and planning resource to conserve Oklahoma’s wildlife and habitats. It applies a habitat-based approach to address the state’s 240 priority wildlife species. The document divides the state into six ecological regions and 22 habitat-types. It covers important conservation issues, recommends conservation actions, and identifies potential conservation partners in each region. By focusing on the health of Oklahoma’s natural areas, actions may benefit multiple wildlife species before their populations become more rare and more costly to protect.