North Carolina has a wide diversity of ecosystems and species.
From elk to red wolves, from Venus fly traps to bobwhite quail,
the state is home to more than 825 species of fish and wildlife,
175 species of butterflies, and over 625 flora species. The “top
nine” list obviously doesn’t include all the special places the
state offers hunters, anglers, campers, paddlers, hikers,
photographers or birders, but it tries to capture a cross-
section of North Carolina’s beauty and uniqueness. A brochure
highlighting just what makes the Little Tennessee River so
special suggests a novel way to explore the mountain aquatic
ecosystem: by donning a snorkel mask and glimpsing life below
the surface. “It’s a fantastic place to go ‘fish-watching.’ It’s
like bird-watching in the water,” according to the Wildlife
Federations’ write-up on the river. “Pull on a dive mask and a
snorkel, and you can slowly ease your way into riffles and the
heads and tails of pools and check out some of the most
brilliantly colored wildlife on disp