“He who scratches..”

The North Landing River has a secret. It is whispered that it is the most biodiverse place in Virginia east of the Blue Ridge Mountains and has the highest concentration of rare species this side of the Appalachians. It is not hard to understand why when you consider that there are tens of thousands of acres of wetlands in the area. The North Landing River Natural Area Preserve - the first of its kind in the state - alone is over three thousand acres and The Nature Conservancy owns another six or seven thousand acres.Approximatley 40% of all plants and animals depend on wetlands for survival and breeding and that makes this river a wildlife haven. The North Landing is also on the Atlantic Flyway which brings hundreds of species of birds from as far as the Arctic and the Tropics. 

One of the common mammals you may see swimming or scavenging along the shore is the raccoon. Many North American tribes characterized the raccoon as a trickster and mischief-maker. Its Latin name, Procyon lotor, translates to “before the dog washer.” The word raccoon came from the Algonquin people and means“he who scratches with his hands.”

The next time you are on the North Landing River, keep your eyes peeled to the shoreline. It is there that you are most likely to see one of the mammals that dwell on the river and its surrounding wetlands. Most of these animals are crepuscular, so early morning and late afternoons are likely to be more fruitful. Personally, I have seen most mammals in areas that are more “woody” than “marshy.” “He who scratches with his hands” can be seen digging in the shallow water for crawdads and other crustaceans. 

Schedule your ecotour to explore this environmental wonderland.