# What’s the coolest animal you’ve seen in the wild?



## Bretrick (Nov 17, 2021)

I have seen Possums, Wombats, Kangaroos, Koalas, Platypus, Emus, Quokkas, Thorny Devils, Scorpions, Dolphins
But the coolest I have seen are Echidnas. Spiny Ant Eaters.
As a teenager in Tasmania I would come across these Monotremes(egg laying) critters. Picking them up was fraught with being pricked by their many spines.
I saw a conga line of them once. Four males following a Female, known as a Trailing.
The female releases Pheromones and the males follow her where ever she may wander, for hours.
Not my Photo


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## OneEyedDiva (Nov 17, 2021)

I'm a city girl so not in the wild much. Do deer count? My cousin has an expansive property in Virginia on a lake and they come into her backyard. They are so cute. I've also seen them when visiting the mountain which is fairly close to where I live.


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## Bretrick (Nov 17, 2021)

OneEyedDiva said:


> I'm a city girl so not in the wild much. Do deer count? My cousin has an expansive property in Virginia on a lake and they come into her backyard. They are so cute. I've also seen them when visiting the mountain which is fairly close to where I live.


I suppose Deer would be akin to our Kangaroos, in terms of being an abundantly numbered native animal.


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## Warrigal (Nov 17, 2021)

I have to agree about the echidna. We were camped beside the Blowering Dam one January during a drought. The dam was very low but as the water had receded the grass had flourished in the mud. There were kangaroos galore there - by day they stayed in the pine plantation but mornings and evenings they grazed all around our hut.

One day I spotted an echidna a long way off. You cannot mistake their gait. I was so excited I ran downhill to have a closer look. Of course it felt me coming and rolled into a ball of spikes and tried to bury itself. This is the only time I have ever seen one in the wild. A wonderful moment I have never forgotten.


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## Bretrick (Nov 17, 2021)

Warrigal said:


> I have to agree about the echidna. We were camped beside the Blowering Dam on January during a drought. The dam was very low but as the water had receded the grass had flourished in the mud. There were kangaroos galore there - by day they stayed in the pine plantation but mornings and evenings they grazed all around our hut.
> 
> One day I spotted an echidna a long way off. You cannot mistake their gait. I was so excited I ran downhill to have a closer look. Of course it felt me coming and rolled into a ball of spikes and tried to bury itself. This is the only time I have ever seen one in the wild. A wonderful moment I have never forgotten.


That is why I go into the bush as often. For the chance to see our not oft seen animals.


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## Tommy (Nov 17, 2021)

I'm not quite sure what makes an animal "cool", but I've seen a number that I've found to be fascinating.

For example, the only badger I've ever seen in the wild.  We came upon each other in 1969 while roaming through a wooded area in southwest Michigan.  I think we were both surprised by the encounter.  Handsome brute.  Very large. Beautiful color.  We stared a one another for a minute or so, exchanged pleasantries, and then parted ways.

I've seen a lot of moose in the wild over the years but they never fail to impress me with their size, self confidence, and awkward gracefulness (if that makes sense).

Maybe the "coolest" would be the anhinga I saw while on a guided swamp tour in Florida.  They looked a lot like common cormorants but became "cool" when the guide told us that they were the only fur-bearing bird in existence.  Cool!  I actually believed that for several years until I learned that it wasn't true.  The tour guide was full of sailboat fuel.


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## Della (Nov 17, 2021)

I live in the 'burbs so don't see much besides stray cats, but one day I saw an opossum crossing my backyard with a whole bunch of babies hanging on her back and she was WAY COOL!


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## Liberty (Nov 17, 2021)

Love the red foxes and baby white owls.  They are my favorites.


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## Gemma (Nov 17, 2021)

Numerous animals come to mind...Least Weasels, mink, bobcat, fishers, elk, deer, bears, raccoons, opossums, red and grey fox, coyotes, woodchucks, porcupines and beavers.  

In the wintertime, the two mink love sliding down the hill in the snow, playing.


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## Pinky (Nov 17, 2021)

Kangaroos .. I have to be content with seeing squirrels and racoons. I've seen a couple of timber wolves, gray fox and red fox in the city.


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## Pecos (Nov 17, 2021)

Elk, Bison, wolves, elephants, African lions, rhinos, would top my list. I was lucky enough to go on a camera safari in Kenya and to take numerous hikes in our Western states.


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## win231 (Nov 17, 2021)

I'm in the city but I get visits from Raccoons & Opossums 2-3 nights/week.  Two of the Raccoons are bold; they'll walk right up to me, stand on their hind legs & put their front paws on me while I get their food.  The Opossum will let me stand next to him & watch him eat.
A park I walk in is in the middle of a mountain area & sometimes snakes will sit on the walking path.  A few months ago, a snake I recognized as harmless let me pick him up & I took him with me on my walk:


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## Alligatorob (Nov 17, 2021)

Manatee has to be my favorite.  Lots of close seconds.


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## JimBob1952 (Nov 17, 2021)

Two humpback whales off the coast of Salem, Massachusetts.  Pronghorn antelopes, buffalo, elk, moose out West.  Black bears at a garbage dump in the Adirondacks.  Enormous alligators in Florida.  

When I lived in Westchester County, just north of NYC, I used to get up very early to run or bicycle.  I would often see deer, coyotes, foxes, and wild turkeys.  Not that they were so exotic, just that it was fun to see them in an urban environment.  

Here in Virginia, it's the birds.  Big old ospreys, red-tailed hawks, bald eagles, many others.  

It's on my "bucket list" to see a mountain lion in the wild, as well as a polar bear.  (Probably not on the same trip).


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## palides2021 (Nov 17, 2021)

That's amazing, Bretrick the animals you've come across!

Like some others here, I'm in a suburb, so deer, squirrels, rabbits and groundhogs are about it.

However, I do remember once in Florida, we had gone fishing on a bridge, and below, I remember seeing a HUGE turtle floating by. It must have been at least five feet long. At first I thought it was a boat. That was something! Another time, I remember seeing dolphins jumping out of the water, two together. Like we see in SeaWorld.

Also, in Florida, I saw two cops had roped an alligator (or crocodile?) around a resident's tree in their back yard and were fighting with it. I was driving by when I saw it. My mouth was wide open. It was the most bizarre scene.

Also, if this counts, the year we visited Australia (30+ years ago), I remember the beach, a half hour from Sydney, was filled with man-o-wars - as far as the eye could see. They looked similar to jellyfish. As a result, we couldn't walk on the beach for days.


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## Della (Nov 17, 2021)

JimBob1952 said:


> Here in Virginia, it's the birds. Big old ospreys, red-tailed hawks, bald eagles, many others.


I love eagles so much, they definitely make the "cool" list for me.  I follow a few eagle cams,  one in SWFlorida and this one in Hanover Pa. 

If it's possible for a human woman to fall in love with an eagle I kind of did with this guy.  Best father, best husband, best provider I've ever known:


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## JimBob1952 (Nov 17, 2021)

Della said:


> I love eagles so much, they definitely make the "cool" list for me.  I follow a few eagle cams,  one in SWFlorida and this one in Hanover Pa.
> 
> If it's possible for a human woman to fall in love with an eagle I kind of did with this guy.  Best father, best husband, best provider I've ever known:




They are great.  There's one that lives on a nearby golf course and eats the fish that are "stocked" in a big water hazard.  In fact he took one from my daughter as she was trying to reel it in.


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## WheatenLover (Nov 17, 2021)

When I lived in Mass, I saw a red fox walking along the road at Miles Standish State Park. That was so cool! 

Also in Mass, we saw bears frequently -- sometimes on our porch, sometimes at the picnic table while there were people there, and often in the woods. We vacationed at a cabin (with bear-proof screens on the windows) in a state forest every year. The bears were habituated to people.

Saw many dozens of wild turkeys -- they were in someone's yard and all over the road.

Here in PA (rural):  deer, turkey with 8 babies, 3 squirrels every winter, groundhogs, possums, and interesting birds (vultures, pileated woodpeckers, hawks, crows).

Here in the suburbs, we have more deer, more squirrels, and a lot more rabbits than I ever saw in the country.


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## Gaer (Nov 17, 2021)

Bears and moose, but the "coolest" was when i was sleeping in Yosemite and woke to something cold touching my nose.  I opened my eyes and IT WAS A DEER TOUCHING NOSES WITH ME!


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## ronaldj (Nov 17, 2021)

Bear


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## Murrmurr (Nov 17, 2021)

I've seen a number of cool undersea animals. Too cool to pick the coolest. Seals are pretty cool underwater. They follow you around and want to play. It was super cool seeing a seahorse called a Marine Dragon, because seeing one is kind of rare. I'd have to say the coolest land animal I've ever seen was a huge silver and gray wolf. So pretty and formidable-looking.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Nov 17, 2021)

We have many deer and smaller animals where I live including our resident bear. 
I would have to say seeing a herd of wild horses in a national park we visited a few years back was spectacular. I love horses and seeing them  is something I will always remember.
Also walking alongside bison in the Yellowstone National Park parking lot. I couldn't get over the size of their eyes. So very small for the size of the animal.


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## JustBonee (Nov 17, 2021)

Have had   feral peacocks  visit our Texas  yard over the years  ....  three at one time on a   Saturday morning  ...quite a sight


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## Llynn (Nov 17, 2021)

Great Horned owl. I've encountered them in my forest land on numerous occasions.  They fly silently and suddenly appear in a tree or  perched on a fence like a ghost.


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## ManjaroKDE (Nov 17, 2021)

Family of American badgers, we left in a hurry.  We were not very welcome.


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## RadishRose (Nov 17, 2021)

Foxes


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## Pappy (Nov 17, 2021)

An albino skunk. Pure white, no black at all.


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## bowmore (Nov 17, 2021)

A herd of bison walking down the road in Yellowstone


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## Bretrick (Nov 17, 2021)

Bonnie said:


> Have had   feral peacocks  visit our Texas  yard over the years  ....  three at one time one Saturday morning  ...quite a sight


Stunning Birds.
Where I live in Western Australia the is a place called Pinjarra.
Just outside Pinjarra is a accommodation place called Fairbridge Village.
It was opened in 1912 as a Farm School form migrant children.
Peacocks were brought with the owners and have been there ever since.


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## ManjaroKDE (Nov 17, 2021)

Bretrick said:


> Stunning Birds.
> Where I live in Western Australia the is a place called Pinjarra.
> Just outside Pinjarra is a accommodation place called Fairbridge Village.
> It was opened in 1912 as a Farm School form migrant children.
> Peacocks were brought with the owners and have been there ever since.


Had a quarter acre garden, I never did anything in moderation.  Every morning I would come out and see 15 -20 of my neighbor's flock walking along between the rows, figured out they were feeding on the plant pests, never destroyed a single plant.  They kept my garden the talk of the town.  Their droppings looked like large Hersey kisses.


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## Shero (Nov 17, 2021)

I have been very lucky to visit the Kruger National Park in South Africa and saw many amazing animals in the wild:


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## Gary O' (Nov 17, 2021)

win231 said:


> A park I walk in is in the middle of a mountain area & sometimes snakes will sit on the walking path. A few months ago, a snake I recognized as harmless let me pick him up & I took him with me on my walk:


 



...shiver

(hate snakes....any...give me the creeps)


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## Gary O' (Nov 17, 2021)

What’s the coolest animal you’ve seen in the wild?​
I've seen many a bear, some wolves, bobcats, cougar, others.

But, the coolest;
An elk
Standing proudly on a knoll at the edge of of the road (Coastal Cascade Range)
Sunrise
Foggy
Steam from his flared nostrils

I pulled over
Watched
My Nikon was in my other rig


Then there's the baldy that camped in a tree top near our cabin for three days;





The sweetest;
My little cabin buddy


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## Lawrence (Nov 17, 2021)

I was camping by myself in a Rawah Wilderness area here in Colorado and I saw a Pterodactyl fly over Laramie River that I was camped by.


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## Leonie (Nov 17, 2021)

So many cool animals to choose from but I think maybe a Potoroo.  It was just on dusk and it hopped across the road in front of us, like a miniature kangaroo.  I'd never seen one in the wild before, nor since for that matter.


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## Lewkat (Nov 17, 2021)

Buffalo, until one decided to start chasing me.  Then, not so cool.


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## David777 (Nov 17, 2021)

Although there are many animals that live in cold climates, well below freezing 32F, they are warm blooded mammals as living animals cannot live where body temperatures are below freezing ice.  Thus the coolest animals I regularly encounter are fish like this golden trout in a snow melt stream above 10,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada.  Since the water temperature was just a bit above freezing, the cold blooded fish had to be the same temperature thus is the *coolest* animal. Note after taking a quick photo, let the frightened little creature live another day.


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## Gary O' (Nov 17, 2021)

Lawrence said:


> I was camping by myself in a Rawah Wilderness area here in Colorado and I saw a Pterodactyl fly over Laramie River that I was camped by.


That's too funny.
However, when working around our mountain cabin, and a large bird (hawk or eagle...or turkey vulture) would fly over, casting a huge shadow, I got the feeling of early man....


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## MrPants (Nov 17, 2021)

View attachment 194976


David777 said:


> Although there are many animals that live in cold climates, well below freezing 32F, they are warm blooded mammals as living animals cannot live where body temperatures are below freezing ice.  Thus the coolest animals I regularly encounter are fish like this golden trout in a snow melt stream above 10,000 feet in the Sierra Nevada.  Since the water temperature was just a bit above freezing, the cold blooded fish had to be the same temperature thus is the *coolest* animal. Note after taking a quick photo, let the frightened little creature live another day.
> View attachment 194983


I bet they are really tasty


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## dseag2 (Nov 17, 2021)

My neighborhood gets together for "movie nights" by our creek.  During our last get-together we spotted a Coyote.  It was eerie to see those eyes in our flashlights.


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## Verisure (Nov 17, 2021)

Bretrick said:


> What’s the coolest animal you’ve seen in the wild?​


I've seen the majority of animals in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and North America. But speaking of OZ ... the lucky Australian eats, roots, and leaves:


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## win231 (Nov 18, 2021)

Gary O' said:


> View attachment 194975
> 
> ...shiver
> 
> (hate snakes....any...give me the creeps)


So.......I guess interacting with this lady's Anaconda would be out of the question?


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## Jackie23 (Nov 18, 2021)

My first husband was a deer hunter and I would follow him in the canyons of south Texas and mountains of Colorado with a camera....I've seen eagles, deer, elk and wild turkeys.  And while  on an Alaskan cruise, whale.


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## Verisure (Nov 18, 2021)

Lawrence said:


> I was camping by myself in a Rawah Wilderness area here in Colorado and I saw a Pterodactyl fly over Laramie River that I was camped by.


You look very young for your age. Oil of Olay?


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## feywon (Nov 18, 2021)

That's like asking me my favorite child or what's the most beautiful ecosystem/environment.  They all have their beauty and charms!

Whether it's a lizard on a rock, or a family of deer chowing down on our grasses, or anything between size of any branch of the evolutionary tree i always feel i've gotten a gift when i can observe any of them for a bit.


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## feywon (Nov 18, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> I've seen a number of cool undersea animals. Too cool to pick the coolest. Seals are pretty cool underwater. They follow you around and want to play. It was super cool seeing a seahorse called a Marine Dragon, because seeing one is kind of rare. I'd have to say the coolest land animal I've ever seen was a huge silver and gray wolf. So pretty and formidable-looking.


Lived on west coast of Florida my first decade of life. Was swimming by at age 1 year. We lived on a river front property. And i was in the  water as much as possible.  We also would take the boat out to the Gulf, anchor off barrier islands. In those days the water so clear.

I'd free dive. Loved swimming around kelp 'forests' especially but the open sea floor too, observing all the sea critters. My older sisters would tire of it before me, but they were tasked with watching me when i was swimming. In those clear gulf waters they could get away with doing that from the boat.  Once i was climbing the ladder out of the water and two of them were giggling. When i asked what was funny they pointed at bottom of ladder. Two small pilot fish were stationed there. One sister said they followed me all the way from the kelp. 20 minutes later they were still there. Sister said they must have mistaken me for the large fish they often form symbiotic relations with.


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## Murrmurr (Nov 18, 2021)

feywon said:


> Lived on west coast of Florida my first decade of life. Was swimming by at age 1 year. We lived on a river front property. And i was in the  water as much as possible.  We also would take the boat our to the Gulf, anchor off barrier islands. In those days the water so clear.
> 
> I'd free dive. Loved swimming around kelp 'forests' especially but the open sea floor too, observing all the sea critters. My older sisters would tire of it before me, but they were tasked with watching me when i was swimming. In those clear gulf waters they could get away with doing that from the boat.  Once i was climbing the ladder out of the water and two of them were giggling. When i asked what was funny they pointed at bottom of ladder. Two small pilot fish were stationed there. One sister said they followed me all the way from the kelp. 20 minutes later they were still there. Sistwr said they must have mistaken me for the large fish they often form symbiotic relations with.


That makes sense because you were small / the size of a large fish. 

Fortunately for you, marine life in warmer waters have plenty prey, so there aren't as many bitey critters there than in colder and more isolated waters. But I think it can be said that's not the case anymore thanks to pollution, changing currents, and invasive species.


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## feywon (Nov 19, 2021)

Murrmurr said:


> That makes sense because you were small / the size of a large fish.
> 
> Fortunately for you, marine life in warmer waters have plenty prey, so there aren't as many bitey critters there than in colder and more isolated waters. But I think it can be said that's not the case anymore thanks to pollution, changing currents, and invasive species.


True! Most everywhere...waters, forests, even once pleasant tourist destinations.  When we went to my Navy son's retirement ceremony at Pearl Harbor. i of course wanted to show the kids some of my old favorite places on the Island. Some were gone, some changed drastically.  

Joni Mitchell's 'Big Yellow Taxi' with the lyric 'They paved paradise and put up a parking lot' saw how things were going there.


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## Colleen (Nov 19, 2021)

Nilgai when we lived in south Texas.


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## PamfromTx (Nov 19, 2021)

'Coolest', you say?   Probably a polar bear.  lol    But I saw it in a zoo.


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## danielk (Oct 17, 2022)

Cuttlefish I saw when snorkeling in Borneo, its colors and pattern were literally moving across its body which blew my mind.


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## -Oy- (Oct 17, 2022)

Golden Eagle in the Lake District


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## RadishRose (Oct 17, 2022)

Foxes


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## Paco Dennis (Oct 17, 2022)

A porcupine in a tree


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## bowmore (Oct 17, 2022)

When I was on the Island of Wight, I got to fly an Eagle Owl named Merlin.It was an experience!


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## jujube (Oct 17, 2022)

Beavers, working on their dam.


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## NorthernLight (Oct 17, 2022)

I lived in a seaside village in Korea. Sometimes I'd stay up all night and go down to the low cliffs to watch the sun rise. 

Once, just as I was starting to head home, I heard a far-off splash and turned to look. I thought it was fish, but then I realized it was dolphins. They were splashing around kind of randomly. 

Within seconds, the dolphins arranged themselves in rows and started swimming in my direction.

Then they paraded past, right in front of me. There were about 50 of them. I marveled at the perfect semicircles their bodies made each time they rose out of the water.

When they'd all gone past, they turned and swam out to deeper water again.

I mentioned this to a local, and he said, "No, you don't see groups of dolphins around here. You might see one or two."


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## Alligatorob (Oct 17, 2022)

Tommy said:


> Maybe the "coolest" would be the anhinga I saw while on a guided swamp tour in Florida


Wakulla Springs?  Lots of anhingas there and the tour guides are "creative".


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## Pinky (Oct 17, 2022)

Eagles
Foxes (red and grey).
Bear (don't know if it was brown or black .. we turned around before we got close enough to see.

edited to add:
Beavers
Kangaroos
Koala (at the top of a very tall tree)


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## palides2021 (Oct 17, 2022)

I think I posted this before - I had seen a huge turtle at least five feet wide, maybe more, when fishing off of a bridge in Florida many moons ago. At first, I thought it was a boat coming toward the bridge, that's how large it was. I just sat there and looked, feeling mesmerized as it slowly made its way under the bridge.


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## PamfromTx (Oct 17, 2022)

I enjoy watching animals from their enclosures in a ZOO!


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## Aunt Mavis (Oct 17, 2022)

Orcinus orca within 10 feet of our boat.


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## ManjaroKDE (Oct 17, 2022)

Two badgers arguing over who eats first.  Stayed in my truck throughout.


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## Pecos (Oct 17, 2022)

Here in the states, it would have been a magnificent elk that I saw as a kid. It was standing on the side or the road in northern Idaho.

In Africa it would have been a rhino that cam uncomfortably close to the VW van that I was riding in. The elephants and lions that I saw were way off in the distance.

At sea, it would have been the playful dolphins. When we slowed down, I could stand back on the fantail, look down, and watch them dive through the blade of our slowly turning screw. They could keep this up for hours. I was also enthralled with watching the pods of whales that we came across.

But the animal that I would most like to see is a Jaguar, but not up close and personal.


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## helenbacque (Oct 17, 2022)

Key deer that were common on the next island.  A huge golden mama bear with 2 cubs in Denali State Park


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## IKE (Oct 17, 2022)

I've seen several eagles, moose and bears pretty regular on several fishing trips to northern Canada and the NWT.

Out doing jungle survival training in Panama we came across a sloth and I've got pictures of it here someplace........one fella wanted to kill it just for the hell of it and I looked him straight in the eyes and told him that if he even tried that I'd shove that machete that he was holding up his a$$, apparently he could tell that I was dead serious and walked away.


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## RadishRose (Oct 17, 2022)

IKE said:


> .one fella wanted to kill it just for the hell of it and I looked him straight in the eyes and told him that if he even tried that I'd shove that machete that he was holding up his a$$,


Good for you Ike!


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## Tish (Oct 17, 2022)

A Cassowarie while I was up North.


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## Remy (Oct 24, 2022)

A wildcat but I don't know exactly which it was. Up and off the coast from Santa Cruz where my stepfather grew up very rural. The cat looked at us, turned and walked away. The only one I have ever seen. This was in the 70's. 

Also a fox not far from where I live.


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## Remy (Oct 24, 2022)

@Della I follow a couple of Eagle cams also. Then I worry about them. It's really extraordinary that we can watch them like this.


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## DebraMae (Oct 24, 2022)

A whale, don't know what kind, deep sea fishing in the Marianas.  A black bear walking across my front yard in Oklahoma.  A bobcat that came around the side of the house when I was sitting on the back porch.  He came within 5 feet of me, I held my breath and didn't move, and he never realized I was there.


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## Pappy (Oct 24, 2022)

We use to go to the dump in Speculater, NY, in the Adirondacks and watch many bears rummaging the the garbage. One time I was out hunting rabbits and came across an albino skunk. It was so pure white I had to do a double take to make sure what it was.


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## palides2021 (Oct 24, 2022)

When we spent time up on the mountain a few years back, the cabin was in the thick of woods. We heard some activity at night in the cabin, so the next day, we went and got some mice pellets (that's all I could find in the nearby small town). The following morning, those pellets were missing, but a while later, I discovered the pellets had been placed in some boots in the closet! I was flabbergasted. Never knew a mouse that smart! So one day, I was outside on the porch sweeping, when this large rodent that was a cross between a squirrel and a bunny came by on the porch, stopped and stared at me with its large doe-like eyes for a moment. I stared back wondering what the heck it was. He sped on. Never saw it again. I think it was the rodent that had confiscated the pellets and placed them in the boots.


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## ManjaroKDE (Oct 24, 2022)

Our son's been building on our 8 acre Idaho retreat & put up a tree camera, captured a photo of these young visitors.

Same camera during daylight.

And I thought I only had to watch for rattlers!

I've been there many times watching mule deer, quail, black bear and wild turkeys, but nothing as unsettling as these.


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## Bretrick (Oct 24, 2022)

ManjaroKDE said:


> Our son's been building on our 8 acre Idaho retreat & put up a tree camera, captured a photo of these young visitors.
> View attachment 246371


Wow, that is a little (a lot) disconcerting


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## Wayne (Oct 24, 2022)

Old Bill an ex-neighbor found a baby we and he thought squirrel that turned into a badger he raised it on a bottle till grown it walked on a leash and rode on his shoulder, dogs would run from it also it made nasty noises at others if excited any. He got a visit from TP&W officers after someone turned it in, but they let him keep it thankfully, he finally moved and took Henry with him. Also was litter box trained and was raised with a cat for its' mother figure


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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)

Wild Turkey (not the booze)


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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)

A field of Angus along a country road.


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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)

A wascally wabbit.


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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)

A friend of mine’s pet Python.


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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)

Wild deer.


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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)

Sand Crane.


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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)

Horses in snow along a country road.


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## Purwell (Oct 24, 2022)

Stoats, don't often see them but always exciting to see.


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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)

A woman on the beach feeding seagulls. Never a good idea.


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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)

I don’t think is areal horse. (Nashville)


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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)

A shark I caught. (Believe that and I’ll tell you another.)


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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)

A picture of my cousin enjoying an apple.


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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)




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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)

Getting ready for a GQ shoot.


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## Warrigal (Oct 24, 2022)

feywon said:


> That's like asking me my favorite child or what's the most beautiful ecosystem/environment.  They all have their beauty and charms!
> 
> Whether it's a lizard on a rock, or a family of deer chowing down on our grasses, or anything between size of any branch of the evolutionary tree i always feel i've gotten a gift when i can observe any of them for a bit.


I have the same dilemma when it comes to choosing a favourite. Your mention of a lizard causes me to remember the time we shared a lonely campsite with a goanna. He/she was first noticed when she was scrabbling around in an old galvanised iron water tank. Later I saw it climb a very tall gum tree with a dead rozelle in its mouth. It was very large, with formidable claws. Goannas eat carrion and you do not want to be bitten by one. They are also not very smart and if startled may try to climb up the nearest human instead of a tree.

All that aside, I was able to offer this large reptile food from my hand. It was quite gentle and accepted a couple of boiled eggs quite happily.

The goanna was no bother at all but we also shared the site with a number of possums who disturbed our sleep with their nocturnal squabbling.


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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)

My dog.


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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)

Ibis


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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)




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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)




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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)




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## Been There (Oct 24, 2022)




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## mrstime (Oct 24, 2022)

Depending on where we lived,
Here we have seen bear in our senior mobile home park, Deer ,foxes. Then there was the mother and father Canada geese, she in front of a bunch of goslings, the father in the back protecting his flock from a crow who was following them down the street. Deer are very common here. It is rare to see moose in town, but we have seen a few. Bald eagles galore.

In Arizona, snakes, jack rabbits,scorpions, skunks, huge centipedes so big you can hear them coming! And the coatimundi.


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## win231 (Oct 24, 2022)

Been There said:


> A friend of mine’s pet Python.
> 
> View attachment 246409


Looks like an Albino Burmese.  And keeping him fed is a chore.


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## win231 (Oct 24, 2022)

Well, I'll handle any wild animal that isn't too dangerous.  (click on photo to enlarge)


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## Been There (Oct 25, 2022)

win231 said:


> Looks like an Albino Burmese.  And keeping him fed is a chore.


That's exactly what it is and he allows it to roam about the house. for a few hours in the evening. I have another friend that ha s a female lion that he has the garage all fixed up for her, but he brings her into the house for about 15 minutes or so each day to make her socialized. He had ti get a special license to keep her in the house. She seems really calm, but I keep reminding myself that she is a wild animal and to keep my distance. My friend keeps urging me to pet the lioness. No way!


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## oldpop (Oct 25, 2022)

What’s the coolest animal you’ve seen in the wild?​ 
I am right partial to Bears so I would say Black Bears. I see, smell and hear them all the time in the woods around my house.  The wildlife in my area love that hill. I have images of bear, bobcat, deer, turkey, foxes, raccoon, opossum, and squirrels that hang around on it.  Here are some game cam images from up on that hill behind my house.


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## David777 (Oct 25, 2022)

That golden trout was a wonderful "cool" creature. And here is another also snow "cool".





In August 2012, quickly captured this *Yosemite toad*,_ anaxyrus canorus_, flash image as she climbed over a stick. Then I tried for a face on view but she would not keep still. Toads are such vulnerable little creatures I have always felt a heartfelt liking for. As a child, I found they became afraid when we giants picked up their cool soft bodies. One can sometimes hear tiny squeaks of fear coming out of their mouths and if handled they may pee from fright on your hand. I would never hurt such a gentle creature but wanted a shot so cupped my fingers around her so she could not move. The first couple of time as soon as I lifted my finger cage, she began trying to flee. Then maybe sensing I was holding her softly and wanted her to stay there paused long enough for this head on shot showing her concerned expression. I stroked her head gently and we moved away.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yosemite_toad

_Yosemite toads are explosive breeders (breeds within a short time period), migrating to breeding pools and flooded areas in late spring while *snowbanks* still veil the frozen meadows. They have been termed the "toad that stays on its toes" or "tiptoeing toad" due to their habit of crossing snowdrifts without touching their abdomen to the *cold snow*. Breeding time varies greatly with elevation and yearly *snowpack* (April to July), and depends on timing of* snowmelt.* Males arrive to breeding ponds synchronously when the meadow is ca. 50% covered in snow. Depending on the population density they will either join a breeding chorus by making an advertisement call to females, or will actively search for them. Their vocalization is a high-pitched, sonorous trill lasting an average of 2.6 seconds and repeated frequently.   Males intermittently call from pool margins, under logs, or inside willows to attract females. When females arrive, they are immediately grasped in amplexus by one or multiple males as the males fight for a limited number of mating opportunities. _


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## WinAZ (Oct 27, 2022)

While walking my 103-pound Alaskan malamute near my home, a bobcat just 20 feet away — (Boy, that dog wanted a piece of that cat! Never felt a dog pull so hard.)

While vacationing in Wyoming, a bald eagle perched in a tree — (Great because my kids got to see it, too.)

While climbing in Grand Teton NP, a bear cub — (A panic moment because 10 seconds later, my climbing partner and I spotted mama, and we were between mother and child.)

While sightseeing at the Grand Canyon, a California condor soaring over the abyss — (I got lucky and managed to get a photo with my DSLR.)

While hiking in the mountains in Japan, a monkey that seemed to be stalking me — (Another panic moment because my aging eyes at first tried to convince me that it was a mountain lion. Same size, same color, long tail.)


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## Paco Dennis (Oct 27, 2022)

I found a Rubber Boa snake in the Sierra Nevada mountains when I was about 10. I was never so thrilled. I did put it back


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## Pinky (Oct 27, 2022)

Up north, we saw a bear cub .. knew that Mama would be nearby, so, hoofed it back to the car, pronto!
In the city, we've seen foxes (red and gray), a pair of wolves, and the usual smaller varmints.


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## RadishRose (Oct 28, 2022)

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1586070348705021953


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## RadishRose (Nov 7, 2022)

Coyote and badger go for a walk.


__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1589471121962807296


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## Paco Dennis (Nov 7, 2022)

Here are few rare, and exciting animals I have seen....


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## JimBob1952 (Nov 7, 2022)

Paco Dennis said:


> Here are few rare, and exciting animals I have seen....
> 
> 
> 
> ...



What, no jackalope?


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## Knight (Nov 8, 2022)

Nothing cool just scary for my wife. We were at a camp ground in Kissimmee, Florida. Middle of the night my wife needs to go to the bathroom. Rather than use the toilet in our motor home she decides to use the one in the KOA camp ground. 

She came back within a few seconds trembling in fear. She saw a huge rat about the size of a small dog slowly walking across the parking pad next to us. I looked to see the huge rat.  That was her 1st. time ever seeing an armadillo.


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## RadishRose (Nov 10, 2022)

Knight said:


> Nothing cool just scary for my wife. We were at a camp ground in Kissimmee, Florida. Middle of the night my wife needs to go to the bathroom. Rather than use the toilet in our motor home she decides to use the one in the KOA camp ground.
> 
> She came back within a few seconds trembling in fear. She saw a huge rat about the size of a small dog slowly walking across the parking pad next to us. I looked to see the huge rat.  That was her 1st. time ever seeing an armadillo.


To be honest, I wouldn't know either.


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## Jaiden (Nov 10, 2022)

Gaer said:


> Bears and moose, but the "coolest" was when i was sleeping in Yosemite and woke to something cold touching my nose.  I opened my eyes and IT WAS A DEER TOUCHING NOSES WITH ME!


That's amazing, about the deer!

Years back, we were driving along a narrow road in Northern New Hampshire when a moose burst out of the woods, fell into step alongside the car, and galloped along next to us for several miles.  Another time, we were in the same area on Interstate 93 when a huge bear started ambling across the highway, taking his time.

Here in Florida I've seen some really interesting birds, my granddaughter is teaching me their names, but the best was a huge alligator strolling along the lake shore at dawn - fortunately, I was safely ensconced on my second floor porch!


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## Chet (Nov 10, 2022)

I never saw any exotic animal unless you count a skunk. I went for a hike and saw him while he was rusting through the leaves looking for a meal. I approached a little closer and he never reacted so I just let him be. Probably a smart move.


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## Nemo2 (Nov 27, 2022)

Been to Africa a number of times...never seen a Honey Badger though......but I HAVE laughed at this vid many times:


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## Iron_Lord (Dec 27, 2022)

Living on the edge of my city, I see deer outside my balcony regularly. 

In the wild, I've seen a black bear, a lynx family, beaver, water beetle.


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## Farrah Nuff (Dec 27, 2022)

Okay, so I didn't actually see them but I think the coolest animal to see in the wild would be penguins, in Antarctica. Here's a pic! They look pretty cool to me!


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## Warrigal (Dec 27, 2022)

Although I did respond early on to this thread I now think the coolest animal that I have seen in the wild was a rhinoceros in Kenya.

He was in the process of being introduced into a region where rhinos had been wiped out by hunting when it was still legal and by subsequent poaching for their horn.

He was a young male and was guarded 24/7 by pairs of native wildlife rangers to prevent him also being killed by poachers. They were armed with serious looking rifles because the poachers would have had no qualms about shooting the rhino's guardians.

I was able to stand within about 30 feet of him while he grazed calmly because he was so accustomed to his protectors. I felt a thrill of wonderment that I could be so close to such an awesome beast and I hoped that when his 'wives' arrived they would be successful at repopulating that part of Kenya.


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