Michigan has four officially-designated state animals.
Michigan has named four different animal symbols, one in each major genus. It has a state mammal, bird, reptile and fish, according to the state's official Web site, Michigan.gov. State symbols are designated by acts of the legislature. Bills to create state symbols follow the same course as any other legislation. If they pass both the Senate and House, they go to the governor for approval.
State Mammal
Although Michigan is nicknamed the Wolverine state, that mammal is not an official state animal symbol. Michigan's state mammal is the white-tailed deer. It was designated in 1997 after a successful lobbying campaign by a group of fourth graders from Zeeland. The white-tailed deer inhabits every county in Michigan. Its status as the state's premier game animal also makes the white-tailed deer an important economic resource.
State Bird
The state bird of Michigan is the American robin. It was designated in 1931 at the urging of the Michigan Audubon Society. The robin is found in every Michigan county, but the greatest concentrations occur in Kalamazoo County and Berrien County according to Michigan.gov. The robin is hailed throughout Michigan as a harbinger of spring. In 2008, there were an estimated 4.6 million breeding pairs across the state.
State Reptile
Michigan's official state reptile is the painted turtle. According to Michigan.gov it was designated in 1995 at the urging of a group of fifth graders from Niles who discovered Michigan had never named a state reptile. The painted turtle is found in ponds and marshlands throughout Michigan.
State Fish
Brook trout were designated as the state fish in 1988 at the recommendation of the Michigan State Conservation Department. Previously, state law had designated the trout as state fish without specifying the species. The brook trout is a native Michigan fish and is found in cold streams throughout the state.
Other Michigan Symbols
In addition to state animals, Michigan also has designated the apple blossom as the official state flower, the dwarf lake iris as the state wildflower, the Petoskey stone as the state rock, the white pine as the state tree, the mastodon as the state fossil, and the Kalkaska sand as the official state soil.
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