In lakes across the Earth, there are a variety of different animals that live in lakes that you probably would not expect. For some species, it is only a matter of time before they move on to their next stop, but for a lot of animals, lakes are their permanent habitat.
This piece will be covering several different types of animals and reptiles that live in lakes, some who only live there occasionally and some who stay there all year round. There will be a mix of amphibians, birds, reptiles and insects.
The Aquatic Salamander
These larval amphibians are found in either Canada or The United States. They can sometimes be really difficult to spot due to them being able to camouflage themselves on the bottom of these lakes between the rocks.
They are known for feeding on water flies and larvae. They are on the hunt day and night to be able to make sure that they find something to eat each day!
Golden Carp
The golden Carp is something quite spectacular and is mainly known for being domesticated in aquariums. However, this is not the only place that you can find them because they do still live in their natural habitat too.
You are most likely to find these carp fish in East Asia in lakes. These are a great example of how colorful fish can be. Even though they are known for the original colors, they are also known to have a range of different colors that stand out.
Opossum Shrimp
It is very difficult to try and find one of these because they are found right at the bottom of the lakes. They like to be within the sand but seeing one all depends on the depth of the water.
If you are looking at some shallower water which is clearer, you are much more likely to see one. You can also find these out in the ocean in the sea water.
Mink
Minks are known to be an endangered species because people like them for their fur. However, they are extremely beautiful creatures that share many similarities with other types of species and look very similar to an otter.
They tend to eat rabbits, frogs and birds and are found across the world. However, wherever you might see one, they will always be near the water.
Snapping Turtle
These types of turtles are found in freshwater and can be seen specifically in North America. They can grow up to be rather large, weighing up to 20kg which is probably not as much as you expected!
Just like the penguins, these specific turtles are ones that hibernate together once the water has frozen, like a little community. They are also very similar to humans when you look at how long they usually live.
They can live up to 80 years old! Another interesting fact about them is that they rarely have to get their back up defensively or defend themselves because of how large they are and they also have hard shells to hide in!
The Zebra Mussel
These mussels are ridiculously small measuring out to be the size of a fingernail. They are found in Eurasia. The reason for their name is because of the markings on their shell (Also check out Animals That Live In Shells) which show a zigzag pattern.
This was then linked to the stripes which you see on a zebra. These specific mussels are found in fresh water mostly because it is the only type of water that they are able to reproduce in.
In recent years, more and more of these mussels have been found in North America too.
Alligator
Everyone has heard of the mighty and scary alligators which they mainly link to places like Australia and America. These are actually quite slow moving animals which are usually found in freshwater but have a great amount of vegetation on the water.
This is because they have adapted to this sort of environment. In the wild, it is predicted that these alligators can live up to 35 years old and maybe slightly more.
However, their population across the world has been decreasing over the past few decades due to the loss of their natural habitats and also illegal poaching and selling.
It has become a huge problem for a lot of different animals who are subjected to poaching because the amounts are astounding.
Fiddler Crab
These little things are very funny to look at because of the disproportionate bodies and claws. They only grow up to an inch long but have a huge claw. Most people might think this is to fight off predators but it is not.
There are thousands of beautiful species across the world that need to be protected like a lot of these that are in danger due to losing their natural habitat and where they live (see also: Bandicoots Habitat And How They Like To Live)or through intense, illegal poaching.
Hopefully this article has opened up your eyes to the wide range of different species that love to live in or near lakes across the world.
Moreover, it has also shown you from just a handful of options that they need to be protected better in their natural habitats because otherwise they will soon become extinct which is not what anyone wants.
Hi, I’m Olivia Kepner and I am a zookeeper here in San Diego. Since I was a young girl I have always been fascinated by animals and species across the globe.
I used to beg my parents to take me to our local zoo every single weekend. Well, I say local – it was more like a two hour drive away. But they took me as much as they could, allowing me to fall in love with the animals again and again.
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