Pamlico Sound
Trey Thigpen
Pamlico Sound Information
The Pamlico Sound is located in the Outer Banks. It stretches from the borders of Manteo and the Dare County Mainland all the way to Portsmouth Island and the Cape Lookout National Seashore. The sound is fed by three different inlets, Oregon Inlet, Hatteras Inlet and Ocracoke Inlet. If you are visiting the Pamlico you should be on the lookout for great blue herons, white ibises and snowy egrets, the rare white pelicans, and even American Bald Eagles.
Pamlico Sound from the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
Sunset over the Pamlico
Fishing Boats docked in Pamlico
Importance of Estuaries
Estuaries are very important natural places because they provide vital nesting and feeding habitats for many aquatic plants and animals. Estuaries also help maintain healthy ocean environments because they filter out sediments and pollutants from rivers and streams before they flow into the ocean, which causes cleaner waters for marine life.
Threats to the Pamlico Sound
There are several threats facing the Pamlico. One of them is excessive nutrients. When there are too many nutrients, it can disturb the natural balance of the water. Another problem is toxic materials which can hurt and kill plants and animals. Also habitat loss is a problem. As more and more people come to work and live around Pamlico, more and more animal habitat is being lost.