11 Connecticut State Animals You Probably Didn't Know About!

The sperm whale is the Connecticut state animal and is the largest species of toothed whales.

The status of the Connecticut state animal was assigned to the sperm whale by the General Assembly in the year 1975. What is surprising is that the sperm whale is assigned the status of state animal despite the fact that it is not native to the state or its waters.

Connecticut, a state categorized as haunted, the birthplace of US President G.W. Bush, and the hometown of the creative writers and authors Harriet Stowe and Mark Twain. The gorgeous fall foliage is one of the things Connecticut is known for.

Located in New England, US, Connecticut not only was occupied by the Native American tribes but also English and several Dutch settlers. Connecticut became one of the major hubs that supplied ammunition and daily necessities for the troops fighting in the American Revolution.

Connecticut was the fifth state to sign the United States Constitution at the fifth year anniversary of the American Revolution. More than half of Connecticut is covered with forest and it is among the states with more natural beauty.

These forests are the primary source of lumber, maple syrup, and firewood. The state of Connecticut has a number of official and unofficial symbols that represent the state.

After reading about the sperm whale, the Connecticut state animal, also check facts related to animals that live in lakes and ponds and grassland animals facts.

What is the state animal of Connecticut?

The sperm whale is the Connecticut state animal and also the largest toothed whale and predator currently present on Earth.

These strange whales have big box-shaped heads and have an average length of 36-52 ft (11-16 m) and can be 15-45 tons (13608-40823 kg) heavy with the largest mammal brain weighing an average of 17 lb (8 kg).

The newborns of this species are 13 ft (4 m) in length and 1.1 ton (998 kg) in weight. During the 1800s, Connecticut was number two in the ranking of the whaling industry and that was largely due to the sperm whale.

This popularity later paid off as the sperm whale was adopted to represent the state animal of Connecticut in the year 1975.

The most popular reference of the sperm whale is given in the 1851 Herman Melville classic novel ‘Moby Dick’. The baby sperm whales and their mother travel with other female whales as a contact group.

Male sperm whales, however, tend to travel with the female group when they are breeding or mostly switch between the feeding ground or the breeding ground.

Are there sperm whales in Connecticut?

Yes, sperm whales are still in Connecticut although sperm whales were well sought out in the 1800’s they gradually became an Endangered species. Sperm whales were most popularly searched and caught for their oil.

The squid-eating sperm whale is a deep diver and loves to live in deep waters even though it can be found inhabiting almost anywhere in the oceans all across the planet.

The connecting history of the sperm whale industry and Connecticut, and the fact that sperm whales were announced in the 1900s as an Endangered species led them to be known as the state animal of Connecticut under Title 3 of Chapter 33 under the Section 3-109a.

The scientific name of the sperm whale is Physeter macrocephalus and it is also called 'cachalot' which is thought to be 'big teeth' or 'tooth' in archaic French. The life expectancy of a sperm whale can be as long as 70 years.

Sperm whales are mostly dependent on their vocals for finding food, looking for a mate, or even just for roaming the waters.

Connecticut State Birds

The American robin which has the scientific name Turdus migratorius was adopted by Connecticut as their state bird in the year 1943. The states of Michigan and Wisconsin also have the American robin assigned as their state bird.

The American robin is a songbird and not just any songbird but one of the most beloved songbirds of all the Americans. Besides having a beautiful voice, the American robin also has gorgeous looks with a unique feature of chest feathers.

These feathers can be distributed among a range of colors varying from peach pink to maroon red.

It is a result of these feathers, this bird is also called redbreast. The American robin has a tendency to stay with its flock during the night hours and is extremely full of energy during the daytime.

Aside from its beauty and voice, the American robin can be found in various mythology and stories from the Native American tribes. One of the most popular myths surrounding this bird is how it got the reddish hues on its chest.

The American robin has also been a part of poetry literature and some of the famous works include that of William Drummond and Emily Dickinson where it is also been represented as an omen of arriving spring.

Connecticut State Mammal

It was after the War of 1812 that Connecticut started expanding in the whaling industry. With the advent of the 1800s and the 1900s, sperm whales became more popular and gained Connecticut the position of the second-largest whaling industry in the US.

It was high in demand for its oil for lamps, candles, lubricants, and some other products. This demand further increased with the rise and success of the industrial revolution.

It was with this popularity that sperm whales became the state mammal in 1975. It was not only this but the political upheaval that was going around in 20th century China which caused the trade to be increased in the Western nations which in turn increased the demand for sperm oil.

Though there is one interesting aspect related to the state mammal, that is also the state animal. This marine species is not native to Connecticut but holds great importance in the history of the state.

Connecticut State Fish

The honor of being adopted as the state fish of Connecticut goes to the American shad. The American shad has been a part of the lives of the Native American tribes whether it be as a source of income, culture, or food, for hundreds of years.

The American shad is a migratory fish that migrates to the Connecticut River all the way from the Atlantic Ocean during the arrival of spring.

Americans mostly sought shelter in shallow coves during the high tide but this also used to let them be trapped within the stone walls of low constructed dams from the times of Native Americans, making it easier for them to be caught.

Though there was supposedly an abundance of shad fish in the early centuries, their number suffered a decline during the middle of the 1800s after the Holyoke Dam, Massachusetts was constructed.

This led to low-income returns and a gradual reduction in the fishing of shad fish. From colonial times until the '50s, hundreds of shad would be harvested with the method of haul-seining by hung nets that were vertical.

Not only this but many lab breeding were also performed for harvesting shad fish. Even with all the efforts made, the harvesting and the income revenue were never restored to what it was before the Holyoke Dam was constructed.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for 11 Connecticut state animals: you probably didn't know about! Then why not take a look at animals that adapt in winter, or Red Sea animals?