Where to See Weird Animals
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SITUATION
This is a map of all the oddball animals around the country that may only exist in one or two spots. These are the strange creatures that you go out of your way to see. Who wouldn't want to see a puffin, squid, crane, salamander, otter or --the granddaddy of all freakish North American animals--the manatee?
Many of these critters now have their own advocacy groups and tour guides.
VIEWING TIPS
Don't feed the animals. If the animal is watching you instead of doing what you're doing, you're too close.
FAQ
Got questions? Let us know.
BEST PLACES TO SEE THESE UNUSUAL ANIMALS
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Coatis at Chiricahua National Monument
Chiricahua National Monument is one of the few places in the U.S. where Coati Mundis have been documented for decades. While sightings aren't reliable, park rangers say you have a better shot in winter in the lower canyon.
Coatis, which look like a cross between a racoon and the Hamburgler, are opportunists and omnivores. They are charismatic and not above begging for food. Known locally as Chula, the coati range through much of Central and South America. In the United States, they've been spotted for more than a century along the Rio Grande in Texas and in southeast Arizona and southwest New Mexico. The Mammals of Texas says Coatis "are only rarely known from Brownsville to the Big Bend region of the Trans-Pecos. They have been reported from Aransas, Brewster, Cameron, Hidalgo, Kerr, Maverick, Starr, Uvalde, and Webb counties." 13063 E. Bonita Canyon Rd, Willcox, AZ (520) 824-3560, Map » |
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Elkhorn Slough Sea Otters
The Elkhorn Slough is one of the best places in the world to see otters. Almost three-quarters of California's 3,000-some sea otters live in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, which includes the Slough. You can see them on boat or kayak tours. The Slough (pronounced Slew) is a massive tidal salt marsh that's home to both saltwater and freshwater creatures, including sea otters, tiger sharks and bat rays. Herons and egrets have a rookery in the northern marsh. 1700 Elkhorn Road, Watsonville, CA, (831) 728-2822 Map » |
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Sandhill Wildlife Area - Outdoor Skills Center
Sandhill Outdoor Skills Center offers classes on tracking porcupines in the winter. They try to live trap them. 1715 County Highway X, Babcock, WI (715) 884-2437 Map » |
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Destruction Island Sea Otters
Destruction Island, off the shore from Olympic National Park, has the highest concentration of sea otters in Washington. According to a Washington State 2005 survey about 300 of the state's 800 sea otters live on Destruction Island. They were re-introduced from Alaska in 1970 after the native population disappeared. Part of the closed-to-visitors Washington Island NWR, you can only see the otters from boat or kayak. Kent, Washington, has otter sightings on shore. The state survey found: "The current sea otter range in Washington extends from just south of Destruction Island on the outer coast to Pillar Point in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, with concentrations in the vicinities of Destruction Island, Perkins Reef, Cape Johnson, Sand Point, Cape Alava, and Duk Point. A few individual sea otters have been seen in Puget Sound and the San Juan Islands as well as along the Oregon coast." Map » |
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Kangaroo Conservation Center
Kangaroo Conservation Center has biggest collection of kangaroos outside Australia. The "conservation" part may be stretching it a bit since kangaroos are routinely shot in their native land, but the center does provide a fun day. You see a demonstration on kangaroo handling, take a tram ride around the kangaroos enormous pens, then wander (outside the pens). |
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Muscatatuck NWR River Otters
You have a good chance of seeing river otter at the Muscatatuck
National Wildlife Refuge. The otters were re-introduced in 1995 from Louisiana and can sometimes be found on Mutton Creek. The Indiana Department of Fish and Wildlife released 303 otters over five years at 12 sites and they spread to 35 counties. 12985 E Us Highway 50 Seymour, IN (812) 522-4352 map » |
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Popcorn Park Zoo
The Popcorn Park Zoo is a little like a throwback to zoos of the 1950s. You're allowed--encouraged even--to feed the animals unbuttered, unsalted popcorn. And boy do they know you have it.
And it has the great variety of animals a zoo might--tigers, bears, monkeys, coati. But all the animals here are rescued, usually from people who mistakenly thought they'd be good pets. Forked River, NJ (609) 693-1900  map » |
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Hawaii Shark Cage Dives
You take a boat 15-minutes (3 miles) north of Oahu, then get in huge metal and plexiglass cage for a 90-minute experience with any of the nine Hawaiin sharks--though Galapagos and Sandbar sharks are the most common.
$105 (in 2009)
North Shore Shark Adventures
66-800 Haleiwa Rd |
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Salamander Capitol of the World: Smoky Mountain National Park
The Great Smoky Mountain National Park is known as the Salamander Capitol of the World because 30 species of the amphibian live here. (24 don't have lungs but breathe through their skin.) Find them around water, especially under rocks and logs.
Follow US-441/US-23 North. At Dillsboro merge on US-74 West/US-441 North. At Exit 74 merge onto US-441. Follow US-441 through Cherokee and into the park. (865) 436-1200 |
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Manatees of Blue Springs State Park
Blue Springs State Park is a refuge for West Indian Manatees, who spend the winter in the park. They arrive in mid-November and enjoy the waters that stay at a constant 72 degrees, then take off at the end of March. Visitors have spotted 250 manatees in the park, which is where rehabilitators have released manatees. Rangers recommend visiting on cold winter mornings for the best chance to see manatees.
2100 W French Ave, Orange City, FL (386) 775-3663 map » |
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Tampa Electric Manatee Viewing Area
Manatees like warm water, so they are attracted to the Tampa Electric Company plant. The company set up a Manatee Viewing Area to accomodate animal tourists. The manatee season here is Nov. 1-April 15. Up to 300 manatees come here when the bay is cold. Here's where you make reservations.
6990 Dickman Rd., Apollo Beach, FL (813) 228-4289 |
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Manatees at Manatee Park
In the winter manatees seek out the warm water that is heated by the discharge from the nearby Florida Power and Light. You can see them at Lee County's Manatee Park, which runs along the power company's discharge canal. Manatee season is Nov.-March. The park is open 9-4.
Here's a park brochure. 10901 State Road 80 (Palm Beach Blvd.) Ft. Myers, FL (239) 690-5030 |
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Paddlefish at Fort Buford State Historic Site
Paddlefish, an ancient species up to five feet long and weighing 100 pounds, can bee seen at the Fort Buford Historic Site, near where the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers meet. The number of paddlefish has been decreasing in recent years, so the fishing season has been closing early.
15349 39th Lane NW, Williston, ND (701) 572-9034 map » |
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Flying Carp at the Peoria Lock and Dam
Asian carp, imported to eat algae off catfish in farms down south, broke free and invaded the Mississippi River and its tributaries. These carp, which can weigh up to 100 pounds, eat near the surface and sometimes jump out of the water en masse. The Fish and Wildlife service recently held a conference on flying carp in Peoria, a known hotspot. Their survey of the Peoria Pool--the Illinois River between s Starved Rock State Park to Illinois River Mile 223--has seen invasive carp numbers climb. In 2007 they found 236 bighead and silver carpand 60 silver “flying” carp jumped in the survey boat. Around Peoria people have taken to shooting and bowhunting the carp. Peoria Lock & Dam -Just S of Peoria, on east side or river. |
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Prairie Dogs at Sullys Hill National Game Preserve
Black-tailed prairie dogs were introduced to Sullys Hill in 1975. The preserve, which was originally a National Park, has an annual birding and nature festival. Bison, elk and white-tailed deer were re-introduced in 1917 and 1918. The bison herd is kept at under 30, about the same number as the elk. White pelicans are common in spring and summer. You may also see tundra swan, avocet or harrier.
Take 57 south 13 miles from Devil's Lake, turn south on BIA-6. (701) 766-4272 |
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Flying Asian Carp near Omaha
The invasive Asian Carp is making its way up the tributaries of the Mississippi River. The smaller, silver carp tends to jump out of the water en masse, especially when "stirred up" by a passing motorboat. They sometimes leap into boats and, unfortunately, right into boaters and waterskiiers. The smaller silver variety weighs up to 25 pounds. The bigger "bighead" carp weighs up to 100 pounds, but thankfully doesn't fly. Wildlife officials worry that the voracious fish will soon be displacing native species throughout the midwest.
According to David Hendree's story in the Omaha World-Herald, the flying silver carp is often seen at the confluence of the Platte and Missouri Rivers, just south of Omaha, along the Iowa border. |
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Skunks of Marysville, CA
The town of Marysville, Calif., has a huge skunk population, according to the PBS Nature documentary "Is that Skunk?" The town's seven-mile berm (where skunks dig burrows) and people who feed feral cats may have something to do with it. |
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Giant, Flying, Red Devil Squid
A plague of giant, aggressive squid visits California with increasing frequency. These Humboldt Squid, also known as Giant, Flying or Red Devils (or Dosidicus Gigas) are expanding their range because of global warming and the overfishing of their predators. These 100-pound, biting squid are becoming popular with deep sea fishermen. Normally they're fished at night in the winter, but anglers are catching them anytime now.
Some fishing vessels that catch giant squid: Seaforth Sportfishing 1717 Quivira Rd, San Diego, CA (619) 224-6695 H&M Landing Huli Cat |
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Oahu Dolphin & Turtle Swims, Whale Watches
Off Oahu you can snorkel with dolphins and turtles all year or go out in a boat to see whales in the winter.
Ko Olina Ocean Adventure gives you an underwater camera with your $107 (2009) tour, which leaves from the Ko Olina Resort & Marina
92-1480 Aliinui DrKapolei, HI 96707-2200 (808) 671-2512 |
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Mobile Bay Manatees About 20 endangered manatees spend their summers in Mobile Bay, according to Dr. Ruth Carmichael, senior marine scientist at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab. According to this map of sightings, the manatees seem to like this industrial shipping canal, Meaher State Park and Terry Cove near Orange Beach, but they're all around the edges of the bay and even up into the rivers.) If you see one be sure to help out report it
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Got any other interesting animals to see? Tell us about it.
