This article seeks to serve as a field-guide, central repository, and listing for the flora and fauna of the US state of North Carolina and surrounding territories. State ecology North Carolina's geography is usually divided into three biomes: Coastal, Piedmont, and the Appalachian Mountains. North Carolina is the most ecologically unique state in the southeast because its borders contain sub-tropical, temperate, and boreal habitats. Although the state is at temperate latitudes, the Appalachian Mountains and the Gulf Stream influence climate and, hence, the vegetation (flora) and animals (fauna). Coastal region Located in eastern North Carolina, the coastal region is much warmer and more humid. The climate is humid subtropical and the geography is flat coastal plain. Piedmont This region includes the Charlotte Metro Area and urban biomes of Raleigh and Durham, as well as a large area of semi-mountainous, rolling hills. The climate is humid subtropical and the geography is rolling, gentle hills and flat valleys. The Piedmont ranges from about 300–400 feet (90–120 m) elevation in the east to over 1,000 feet (300 m) in the west. Mountains The mountainous region has a climate of humid continental and its geography is the Appalachian Mountains with elevations between 1500 and more than 6000 feet. Animal life Mammals = Endangered Opossums: Virginia opossum, Didelphis virginiana Armadillos: Nine-banded armadillo, Dasypus novemcinctus Rodents: North American beaver, Castor canadensis reintroduced Northern flying squirrel, Glaucomys sabrinus (Carolina northern flying squirrel, G. s. coloratus ) Southern flying squirrel, Glaucomys volans Groundhog, Marmota monax Rock vole, Microtus chrotorrhinus Meadow vole, Microtus pennsylvanicus Woodland vole, Microtus pinetorum Southern red-backed vole Myodes gapperi Woodland jumping mouse Napaeozapus insignis Eastern woodrat, Neotoma floridana Golden mouse Ochrotomys nuttalli Muskrat, Ondatra zibethicus Marsh rice rat, Oryzomys palustris Cotton mouse, Peromyscus gossypinus White-footed mouse, Peromyscus leucopus Eastern deermouse, Peromyscus maniculatus Oldfield mouse, Peromyscus polionotus Eastern harvest mouse, Reithrodontomys humulis Eastern gray squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis (state mammal) Fox squirrel, Sciurus niger Hispid cotton rat Sigmodon hispidus Southern bog lemming, Synaptomys cooperi Eastern chipmunk, Tamias striatus American red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus Lagomorphs: Snowshoe hare, Lepus americanus extirpated Swamp rabbit, Sylvilagus aquaticus Eastern cottontail, Sylvilagus floridanus Appalachian cottontail, Sylvilagus obscurus Marsh rabbit, Sylvilagus palustris Eulipotyphlans: Star-nosed mole, Condylura cristata Eastern mole, Scalopus aquaticus Northern short-tailed shrew, Blarina brevicauda Southeastern shrew, Sorex longirostris Bats: Townsend's big-eared bat, Corynorhinus townsendii (Virginia big-eared bat, C. t. virginianus ) Northern yellow bat Dasypterus intermedius Big brown bat, Eptesicus fuscus Eastern