As of May 2011, Arkansas is home to 20 animals that are listed as endangered, and six of the state's plants are endangered. These species receive protection from urban development, collecting and overhunting from the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Endangered animals in Arkansas include the the Indiana bat, red-cockaded woodpecker, leopard darter (a fish species), cave crayfish and the Curtis pearlymussel. The eastern prairie fringed orchid, pondberry and harperella and running buffalo clover are among Arkansas' endangered plants. Although they are no longer endangered, the bald eagle and American alligator -- two Arkansas natives -- receive special protection from the U.S. government.
Some of Arkansas' native animals and plants are endemic to the state, meaning they only live in Arkansas. The majority of endemic wildlife species in Arkansas are invertebrates. Some of these species include the Ouchita spiketail dragonfly, short-winged mold beetle (Pseudactium ursum), and Heterosternuta phoebeae (a diving beetle). Non-insect endemic species are the Ozark Mountain pocket gopher and the osage burrowing crayfish. Some of Arkansas' endemic plants include the maple-leaved oak -- which are only found on Magazine Mountain -- Moore's delphinium and the Arkansas alumroot.
When an animal species is extirpated, it means it is not completely extinct, but it has been removed from a certain area. The primary reasons for extirpation -- similar to endangerment -- include overhunting, urban or agricultural development, habitat fragmentation and pollution. According to the Arkansas Natural Heritage Commission, eight wildlife species have been extirpated from Arkansas: the ruffed grouse, red wolf, gray wolf, elk, buffalo, Carolina parakeet, passenger pigeon and ivory-billed woodpecker. Of these eight, the passenger pigeon and Carolina parakeet are extinct.
The official state mammal of Arkansas is the whitetail deer, one of the most abundant deer species in the United States; the whitetail deer has been the state mammal since 1993. Since 1929 the mockingbird has been the state bird of Arkansas; this bird receives its name from its ability to mimic other birds' noises. For plants, the state flower for Arkansas is the apple blossom, which gained the official state flower status in 1901. Arkansas' state tree is the pine tree. No specific pine tree subspecies is recognized as the sole state tree of Arkansas. The pine tree was adopted as the state tree in 1939.