Massachusetts

Save the whales, spot the snakes: Celebrate Endangered Species Day in Mass. See the list.

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1 year ago

May 6, 2025

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Save the whales, spot the snakes: Celebrate Endangered Species Day in Mass. See the list.

Massachusetts recognizes May 16 as Endangered Species Day, highlighting 453 endangered plants and animals.
Eleven mammals are endangered, including six whale species and five bat species.
Endangered species also include nine bird species, eight reptiles (including five sea turtles), and four fish.

Massachusetts officials are urging people to recognize endangered animals in the state on May 16, Endangered Species Day.

There are 453 plants and animals listed under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act. Several either live on Cape Cod or use the peninsula as an important migration stop, including the North Atlantic right whale, the Kemp’s ridley sea turtle, and the upland sandpiper. The North Atlantic right whale and another endangered bird, the roseate tern, are featured on specialty Cape & Islands license plates, and a short tree named the split-leaved hawthorn can be found only on Martha’s Vineyard.

Some of these endangered animals, like the peregrine falcon and the bald eagle, have seen their numbers increase after restoration and conservation efforts. But Mass Wildlife says that there is “still much work to be done.”

On Endangered Species Day and every day, Mass Wildlife encourages residents to report rare species when they see them at the Heritage Hub, to donate, and to learn more about the species.

What are the endangered animals in Massachusetts?

There are 453 plants and animals considered endangered, threatened or “special concern” in Massachusetts. They include animals of all types, from mammals to crustaceans to dragonflies.

There are 224 species listed as endangered in Massachusetts. Eleven of them are mammals.

Here are the eleven endangered mammals in Massachusetts, six of which are whales:

Sei whale
Blue whale
Fin whale
North Atlantic right whale
Humpback whale
Eastern small-footed bat
Little brown bat
Northern long-eared bat
Indiana bat
Tricolored bat
Sperm whale

What are the endangered birds in Massachusetts?

There are nine endangered birds in Massachusetts:

Short-eared owl
Upland sandpiper
American bittern
Sedge wren
Least bittern
Leach’s storm-petral
Pied-billed grebe
Roseate tern
Golden-winged warbler

Piping plovers, with nesting habits that result in Cape Cod beach restrictions each year, are threatened, but not endangered, according to Mass Wildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

What are the endangered reptiles in Massachusetts?

There are eight endangered reptiles in Massachusetts, including five sea turtles:

Copperhead snake
Timber rattlesnake
Leatherback sea turtle
Atlantic hawksbill sea turtle
Bog turtle
Kemp’s ridley sea turtle
Eastern ratsnake
Northern red-bellied cooter

What are the endangered fish in Massachusetts?

There are four endangered fish in Massachusetts:

Shortnose sturgeon
Atlantic sturgeon
Northern redbelly dace
Lake chub

What are the endangered plants in Massachusetts?

There are 159 endangered plants listed in Massachusetts.

They include the purple cress, named for its pale purple flowers, and the split-leaved hawthorn, a tall shrub or a short tree found only on Martha’s Vineyard.

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Massachusetts

The Massachusetts beach towns better than Cape Cod, per Condé Nast

Published

12 hours ago

May 10, 2026

Press Room

The Massachusetts beach towns better than Cape Cod, per Condé Nast

Massachusetts residents love their beach towns.

And Condé Nast Magazine loves two particular beach towns in the Bay State, but surprisingly didn’t pick a beach on Cape Cod.

That’s why the towns were included on the magazine’s 2025 list of the 17 best beach towns on the East Coast.

“Whether you’re looking to lay out on the sand in summer or prefer walking along the water spotting wildlife and collecting rocks, the shores of the East Coast have a little something for everyone,” Condé Nast stated on its website.

Here’s more about the magazine’s favorite beach towns in Massachusetts.

Oak Bluffs ranked No. 5 on the list

Coming in at number 5 is one of the most popular spots on Martha’s Vineyard – Oak Bluffs.

What they said: “The colorful gingerbread houses for which Oak Bluffs is known are straight out of a storybook. Visitors walk straight off their boats into Ocean Park, a circular green overlooking the sea, encircled by said houses, with a frothy, delicate gazebo sitting in the center. Oak Bluffs has a long history of welcoming Black visitors, and today it is home to the annual African-American Film Festival.”

Rockport ranked No. 4 on the list

Rockport is a town on the North Shore of the Bay State.

What they said: “The coastal region is known for its excellent seafood, beautiful beaches, and historic landmarks. Many a good film has been filmed here as well, such as Martin Scorsese’s ‘Shutter Island’ and Kenneth Lonergan’s ‘Manchester-by-the-Sea.’

“Forty miles north of Boston, (Rockport) has a can’t-miss natural gem in Halibut Point State Park, from which visitors can spot Maine in the distance 80 miles away. Rockport is also beloved by art history buffs: it is home to Motif Number 1, a fishing shack with the superlative ‘the most-often painted building in America.’ It was built in 1840, and was a popular subject because it represented New England’s nautical character.”

What other regions of New England are on the list?

According to Condé Nast, they include:

Bar Harbor, Maine
Kennebunkport, Maine
Newport, Rhode Island
Hampton Beach, New Hampshire
Madison, Connecticut

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Massachusetts

Massachusetts town near Gillette Stadium presses for World Cup security funding

Published

24 hours ago

May 9, 2026

Press Room

Massachusetts town near Gillette Stadium presses for World Cup security funding

Up the road from Gillette Stadium, a town neighboring Foxboro is pressing for funding to meet public safety demands arising from the World Cup, with the first match just over a month away.

Walpole’s state delegation has written a letter to the state Office of Travel and Tourism requesting approval of the town’s request for nearly $200,000 to support “essential public safety personnel,” as officials expect “significant spillover impacts” from the premier soccer tournament.

As the Walpole/Foxboro town line on Route 1 is a handful of miles north of Gillette Stadium, officials are expecting increased traffic congestion and pedestrian activity to amount to “heightened public safety demands.”

“As outlined in the Town’s proposal,” the state delegation wrote in the letter it sent to the state last week, “Walpole will play a critical role in ensuring safe and efficient operations for both residents and visitors.”

“This funding will help close a critical gap and ensure that Walpole can safely support this internationally significant event,” the delegation added.

The state Office of Travel and Tourism confirmed to the Herald that it received the letter from state Reps. John H. Rogers, Paul McMurtry, Ted Philips and Marcus Vaughn and Sen. Mike Rush. The office said it will announce decisions in the coming weeks about round two of the $2 million grant program that supports municipal public safety needs tied to the World Cup.

The first round of the program, a $10 million competitive initiative, awarded funding earlier this year to 17 communities to support tournament-related events, including fan festivals, watch parties and regional activations.

This comes after the Foxboro Select Board battled the Boston Soccer 2026 nonprofit host committee and Kraft Sports & Entertainment, which operates Gillette Stadium, for months to ensure it received full funding to cover all security personnel and equipment.

In mid-March, the David vs. Goliath fight concluded, with Boston Soccer 2026 and the Krafts agreeing to cover Foxboro’s $7.8 million request.

Gillette, which will be rebranded as “Boston Stadium,” is set to host seven matches – five in the group stage and two knockout games – between June 13 and July 9. The World Cup is considered a SEAR 1 event, the highest risk level for public gatherings in the country.

“These matches will bring an excitement that this town has never seen,” Foxboro Police Chief Michael Grace said before the Select Board voted to grant an entertainment license for the matches to go on.

Gillette Stadium. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald)

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Massachusetts

The best Massachusetts high schools for athletes? According to one study, here are top 25

Published

1 day ago

May 9, 2026

Press Room

The best Massachusetts high schools for athletes? According to one study, here are top 25

No other city in the country boasts more championships than Boston, giving Massachusetts a sporting pedigree unlike any other.

What’s unique about many of the state is that several of the stars from those championship-winning teams were Massachusetts natives.

Before they were winning the Stanley Cup, the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, World Series or a gold medal, those athletes were high school standouts.

Which high schools in Massachusetts are considered the best for athletes today?

According to a study conducted by Niche, which accounts for survey feedback from students and parents—accounting for “reviews of athletics, number of state championships, student participation in athletics, and the number of sports offered at the school”—and data from the U.S. Department of Education, these are the top 25.