All of these creatures can be found in the Hudson River! Crabs, turtles and many types of fish can be found along the whole length of the river. Near the sea, even starfish, lobsters and sea horses can be found!

While the American Lobster (Homarus americanus) can technically be found in the brackish waters of the Hudson River Estuary near New York Harbor, their numbers have drastically declined by 2026. Historically, the lower Hudson and the surrounding New York Bight supported a thriving lobster fishery, but rising water temperatures have pushed these cold-water crustaceans further north and into deeper, cooler offshore waters. In 2026, marine biologists report that bottom water temperatures in the harbor frequently exceed 68°F (20°C), which is the thermal stress threshold for lobsters, making the environment largely uninhabitable for them year-round. While you might still find a stray lobster in the deep, salty channels near the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, they are no longer a significant part of the river's ecosystem. Interestingly, as the lobsters have moved out, Blue Crabs have surged in population within the Hudson, thriving in the warmer 2026 temperatures. If you see something "lobster-like" further upriver near Albany or Poughkeepsie, it is likely a crayfish, a freshwater relative, as true marine lobsters cannot survive in the low-salinity environment of the upper Hudson River.