America is teeming with amazing wildlife. What are some of your favorites? I personally like bison, pronghorn, turkeys, black bears, red wolves, ringtails, rattlesnakes, kestrels, hellbenders, alligators, opossums, and all manner of songbirds.

46 comments

  1. Grizzly bears. They are simultaneously the cuddliest, warmest things on the planet and I want to hug one, and also the most dangerous of the land-dwelling apex predators on the planet that could break the spine of a gorilla with one paw swipe.

  2. Ringtail, it’s a little raccoon looking critter you don’t see them very often cause they’re nocturnal but they’re one of my favorites.

  3. I live in a national forest with lots of critters, I still get excited to see bald eagles because AMERICAAAAA and porcupines. Porcupines are cool.

  6. I wish the Bison was our national animal instead of a bald eagle. Several countries use eagles. A bison would be kick ass.

  9. The American Bison instinctively runs towards a storm when one comes, because they try to run through it to the other side so they can get it over with as quickly as possible. I think that’s awesome so yeah Bison is a good answer.

    The Coyote, Moose, and Ocelot are also cool.

  13. If we’re going by cool factor, Bighorn Sheep.

    If we’re going by smol and cute points, Kangaroo Rat.

  14. My backyard backs up to an audubon preserve. It’s absolutely opposum! They’re a lot like raccoons, except raccoons have developed the self-awareness that we can see them and they should hide from us. Opposum will get right up to the window all, “HELLO, FRIEND! MAY I HAVE SOME CHEESE?!” It’s hilarious.

  16. I wish we could’ve kept the Carolina Parakeets alive. We have an invasive species of monk parakeets in parts of Queens and places with exposed power lines but the bird from here should still be here

  18. I don’t know if it’s cheating since they are found everywhere but water bears are my favorite animal.

    My favorite animal that is native to only the US is probably the Kodiak bear.

  19. You’ve already mentioned alligators and opossums, but I’d like to give a special shoutout to armadillos as adorable little vectors for leprosy

  22. I was a volunteer docent for a exhibit about the American Bison when I was in high school. It was should a fun experience, it make me really like bison in general.

  24. Blue whales if you count coastal waters

    If we are talking land… idk moose are cool? Most my favourite animals are marine animals lol

  25. All the various varieties of bluegill/sunfish. Good to eat, fun and easy to catch, and pretty to look at. I’ve been thinking of getting a fish tank and keeping a couple of the more colorful ones.

  26. Horseshoe crabs. The atlantic horseshoe crab nests in south jersey, and they are fascinating ancient creatures.

  27. I’m with you on all manner of songbirds! Also Elegant trogons, spotted owls, elf owls, Gila monsters, horned lizards, desert tortoise, red tree voles, grey wolves, sea otters and river otters, beavers, pikas, hoary marmots, steelhead, pacific giant salamanders

  36. Gila monsters, mostly because my local zoo just relocated theirs to a much nicer exhibit, and because they’re pretty unique as the largest, only venomous lizards in the U.S.

  37. I’ll go with black bears. They’re funny to watch and they rarely disturb us unless we provoke them (or you keep chickens…). They run through my property every now and again and I always get a kick out of their antics.

  38. Pikas! They bring me so much joy. They live in the alpiney rocky regions. When I hike, their little squeak is both joy bringing and gives me that one final push to finish the hike up!

    Close runner up to my favorite is Rocky Mountain Elk. Their call is magic.

  40. The American Black Bear is my favorite animal in the world. So intelligent and curious. They spend all their time either chilling or commiting burglary. I wish I could be a black bear.

  41. Black Rat Snake

    Beneficial and docile. Seeing a 7ft specimen as big around as a soda can can be a bit surprising, but there aren’t many other snakes I’d rather see around the yard.

  42. What a great post!

    Growing up in CO I loved Bison, Elk, and I thought Mountain Lions were cool as hell. Someone else below mentioned Pika and they are also fantastic.

    Living now in NC (stokes county) I love our little o’possum visitors, the skunks around here are super cute if you leave them alone, love the little blue-tail lizards, and our birds are beyond compare.

  44. For me, my spirit animal is the noble Great Blue Heron… I actually saw one in a marsh on my commute today. That’s a rare sight for this time of year up here.

  46. Elephant seals.

    They spend most of their life underwater, like 90%. They are heavier than all other terrestrial animals but elephants. They can dive a mile below the surface. They can remain underwater for two hours.

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