NPS Photo

Padre Island National Seashore provides a vast array of critical habitat types to an even more diverse spectrum of inhabitants. From the water's edge of the Gulf of Mexico to the shores of the Laguna Madre, many animals call Padre Island "home." Coyotes and deer roam the dunes, while songbirds flit in the grasslands. Jellyfish wash ashore and Ghost crabs scramble to dig in the sand until they reach water. Tiny invertebrates thrive in the mudflats where they often fall victim to the probing bills of wading birds. And sea turtles pull themselves ashore in order to lay their eggs in the warm sand.

Each creature that lives here plays a vital role in keeping ecosystems at Padre Island balanced. Of special concern are animals that face extinction due to human impacts, like sea turtles and birds that depend upon Padre Island for survival.