Wildlife near you :)

[Tahoe61]

You guys have some really cool finds, nice to see people sharing the amazing encounters they've had so far @Tahoe16 where are you located? I thought Peccaries were found only in South America, no?

I live about 20 miles north of the Mexican border, in a little area known as Elephant Head Arizona. It's close to the Sky Mountains home to the only known US Jaguar population. We have Ring Tail Cats, and other interesting animals that you typically see south of the border. Home to Tortoise, charming Jack Rabbits, more snake and lizard types then you can shake stick at.

 

[luke33]

I live in Southern/Central Indiana on an 80 acre lake with a wildlife preserve behind me. I have deer, fox, possum, raccoon, rabbit, chipmunks, various squirrel's and tons of snakes in my back yard. Did i mention tons of snakes? I generally move a 5-7' snake from my landscaping once every few weeks, they don't bother me but the wifey hates them. On the lake we have beaver, muscrat (which we trap and remove), huge softshell and snapper's along with a ton of painted turtles. In the air we have osprey, bald eagle, lots of various hawk's and from time to time we see a owl perched up over the lakes. We found a rattle snake last year but mostly we have black rat snakes and tons of banded water snakes. And bats galore at night. We have a blond squirrel that has been living in our back for two years now, and have seen a piebald half gray half white squirrel as well. Overall we love it!

 

[jd371]

I see the occasional seal or dolphin while surf fishing, but nothing around my house...maybe our tortoise who has free range of our backyard during the summer months. Then there's this from our neighboring state.
http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/petition-pedals-walking-wounded-bear-34365074

 

[Maritimer]

Here in southwestern Connecticut, things are pretty urban. Still . . .

Over the past couple of years, we've seen otters and beavers returning. Red squirrels have been moving in, annoying the grays that've been here since I can remember. Mockingbirds and black vultures have extended their ranges from the south, while ravens have moved down from the more remote north. Ospreys, falcons, and eagles have become more common, while red-tailed hawks are now an almost everyday creature. White-tailed deer had been at almost pestilential levels, but their populations seem to have dropped off. During harsher winters, I've seen more than a few coyotes.

Last summer our local waters, Long Island Sound, played host to common and bottlenosed dolphins, a trio of beluga whales, a minke whale and three young humpback whales. (Sadly, one appears to have been killed in a boating collision . . . )

Earlier this spring, someone captured video of a big black bear in the northern part of my city, and there was a report from a bordering town, of a cat in a suburban back yard. Pretty big one. Three feet at the shoulder, with a long tail. If it was a mountain lion, it wouldn't be the first - one wandered over here a few years ago from North Dakota, only to meet its end (and the grille of an SUV) on a local highway.

Urban environments and big, iconic animals are an uneasy mix . . .

(No tapirs though ... _that_ would be cool!)

~Bruce

 

[briancarterkc]

I live in Kansas City in one of the Kansas-side suburbs called Leawood. When I moved to this neighborhood about 5 years ago I looked outside and thought "surely that's not a chipmunk. We don't have those in the Midwest." Well, according to our local dept of natural resources...Eastern chipmunks live in the northeastern states of the US, Canada, and...randomly...within a 10-mile radius of Leawood, KS. I assume a particularly amorous couple of chipmunks hitched a ride from the northeast to Leawood about 30 years ago and now we get to watch these cute mini-squirrels play in our backyard. And eat our tomatoes. [emoji35]

 

[ritter6788]

@revhtree

 

[revhtree]

@revhtree

Haha....NO!

 

[NeptuneGarden]

Here kitty kitty kitty


This is in the Houston suburbs. Less than 20 miles from downtown. Always amazed with the amount, deer, pigs, rabbits, bobcats, hawks, and "large" wildlife that lives in the middle of all this traffic and noise

 

[erinmegan85]

Rocky mount nc....and found a name thinking its a Copes Gray Tree Frog

We have those out here too. Our subdivision is in the middle of the Croatan National Forest, so we get lots and lots of critters. None that I have gotten any good pictures of though. Lots of box turtles, redheaded woodpeckers, snakes, and the occasional gator by the river among many other things.

 

[Tahoe61]

Sonoran Desert Toad, toxic and deadly to dogs. This guy lives on my patio and eats June Bugs or anything that will fit in it's mouth.
Toads and frogs are my favorite animals, with Sea Lions coming in second.

It's monsoon season here which brings out Toads, Snakes and Tarantula.

 

[WilRams]

I have a groundhog that lives in my backyard. A pair of foxes that always comes through early morning and a group of deer that comes through pretty frequently. Nothing too surprising except for the fact that I live in a heavily populated urban area!

 

[badstorm48]

We have alligators in the local ponds and swamps with pythons that have seemed to move their way up from Florida. Also have black bear from time to time rare to see them at my part but they do come. Of course we have the usual copper head snakes rattle snakes and everything in between. Usually see black snakes and cooper heads though. Tree frogs and toads. South Carolina has a little of everything the more you go to the coast the more alligators and snakes you see, but as you go towards the mountains we have bobcats and bears and some other critters. With the pythons there have been reporting but very very small amounts. Though, apparently from the researchers the pythons have adapted to live in my state.

 

[Salty.Reefer]

Lots of cool tide pools here in Laguna Beach.

By far the largest complete sea urchin shell I have found. This one I got free diving underneath a shelf right off shore.

I found this awesome nudi snorkling one day. It was free swimming around in the current. Popped up right in front of my face I couldn't believe it.

I found this Jackson chameleon at a friends house out in the canyon. It seems that people released their pets out in the green belt and now there is a reproducing population. Took him into a pet store and trained him straight up for a very nice open brain.

 

[SantaMonicaHelp]

First of all, this is now my favorite thread on the forum; most likely because I live in the heart of Los Angeles, California and I hardly see any wildlife! Unfortunately, I've yet to see any wildlife in Santa Monica. I live in Los Angeles county, which Santa Monica is not a part of, although they are very close to one another. The craziest, most exotic animals I have seen by my house have been: skunks, foxes, and the American Goldfinch- which is the only bird that completely molts. Yeah.... the big city is not home to many animals.

From my backyard...
Strange tree frog

Sonoran Desert Toad, toxic and deadly to dogs. This guy lives on my patio and eats June Bugs or anything that will fit in it's mouth.
Toads and frogs are my favorite animals...

I LOVE toads and frogs, they may even be my favorite two animals! I recall maybe seeing one wild frog when I was about 4 years old. If you don't mind me asking @Tahoe61, where do you live? That frog is of the Bufo genus and contains Bufotenin (4-HO-DMT), which sound appealing to some people, but Bufotenin is extremely toxic to both humans and dogs! I would recommend gloves next time you pick up one of those little monsters, because their toxins are excreted transdermally (through the skin.) Please be safe

- C. Smith

 

[Untamedrose]

Did you grow up there, SantaMonica? (seems weird askin that Q to a location lol)
I lived in san diego for six years, was amazed at what one could see. Local plants and animals are totally different there from the east coast...for example adore your ground squirrels. We had one as a "pet" for a while(pet as he felt free to just come in the back door and steal food from the kitchen. Would stop and stare at us on the couch while he eat before running) Not to mention all the Doctor Seuss trees.

I SO miss the tide pooling out there...surfers beach/tourmaline was always my fav for wildlife and lacks of peoples.

 

[Untamedrose]

One of the coolest wolf spiders I've seen..was hanging out on my windshield in a parking lot. I kidnapped him in a drink cup to take him home to get photos.

 

[Tahoe61]

^ This is awesome.

 

[Tahoe61]

Phrynosoma/Horned Lizard. Elephant Head Arizona.

Horned Lizards typically only eat ants, that is why it's important that Horned Lizards not be kept as pets.

 

[Tahoe61]

I LOVE toads and frogs, they may even be my favorite two animals! I recall maybe seeing one wild frog when I was about 4 years old. If you don't mind me asking @Tahoe61, where do you live? That frog is of the Bufo genus and contains Bufotenin (4-HO-DMT), which sound appealing to some people, but Bufotenin is extremely toxic to both humans and dogs! I would recommend gloves next time you pick up one of those little monsters, because their toxins are excreted transdermally (through the skin.) Please be safe

- C. Smith

I love in Southern AZ close to the border. During monsoons this Toad is out and about and very common.

We actually do classes here to teach dogs not mouth the toads as this toad can kill a dog.

I always thoroughly wash my hands after handling this type of toad.

 

[SantaMonicaHelp]

My apologies for the late response.

Did you grow up there, SantaMonica? (seems weird askin that Q to a location lol)
I lived in san diego for six years, was amazed at what one could see. Local plants and animals are totally different there from the east coast...for example adore your ground squirrels. We had one as a "pet" for a while(pet as he felt free to just come in the back door and steal food from the kitchen. Would stop and stare at us on the couch while he eat before running) Not to mention all the Doctor Seuss trees.

I SO miss the tide pooling out there...surfers beach/tourmaline was always my fav for wildlife and lacks of peoples

@Untamedrose I was born in Los Angeles, California, and I still reside in the city, thank you for asking. So being in the city and all is kind of like nature's corroded liver hahaha; there's hardly any wildlife as I mentioned previously. I spotting one toad in the canyon that used to around my house growing up- well technically the canyon is still there, but it was replaced with apartment buildings. Fortunately I lived in Minnesota for a month, and got to experience seeing a bunch of frogs. Where in San Diego did you live? I totally agree with you about the east cost versus the west coast of San Diego. It's funny you mentioned a "pet" squirrel. My grandmother is in her mid-80's and has pet raccoons! Nobody in my family believed it until some of us saw it. She leaves her backdoor open and lays out food!
The tide pools are indeed quite amazing. I played around with them/in them for hours as a kid. It's really great to share my experiences with someone who had similar experiences.

I love in Southern AZ close to the border. During monsoons this Toad is out and about and very common.

We actually do classes here to teach dogs not mouth the toads as this toad can kill a dog.

I always thoroughly wash my hands after handling this type of toad.

@Tahoe61 The dog classes sound funny to me, but also very smart. I have no doubt that these toads are deadly. I'm glad to see your taking proper cautions. Just curious: what reason do you have for "handling this type of toad"? To me, toads are all but a legend. It's really generous of you to share your experiences with me

- C. Smith