Where to See Weird Animals
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SITUATION
This is a map of all the oddball animals. Most are the strange creatures that you go out of your way to see. Who wouldn't want to see a puffin, squid, crane, gila monster, otter or --the granddaddy of all freakish North American animals--the manatee? Others are here because they represent a rare opportunity to see or interact with an animal that is widespread. For example, beavers are everywhere, but difficult to see.
The manatee and feral parrots are so popular, they have their own guides and maps.
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BEST PLACES TO SEE THESE UNUSUAL ANIMALS
Midwest - See other animals in the Midwest | |
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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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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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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Chicago Parrots -- IL Monk Parrot nests have been spotted all around the University of Chicago area and Jackson Park. |
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Critch Alligator Sanctuary - MI Critchlow Alligator Sanctuary takes in all kinds of reptiles from places where they were not well-cared for. Some come from cops or animal control. Other owners give up their pets when they get too big. In addition to alligators, Critchlow takes care of lizards, frogs and turtles.north of Athens, MI (269) 729-4802 |
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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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Northeast - See other animals in the Northeast | |
Brooklyn Parrots -- NY Naturalist Steve Baldwin gives an entertaining tour of sites where the Monk Parrot is nesting around the New York metro area, especially near the entrance to Green-Wood Cemetery and around Brooklyn College. His site BrooklynParrots.com lists all the latest details. |
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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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Maine puffins
Puffins were down to one pair in Maine before conservation efforts, including Stephen Kress' Puffin Project, stepped in to restore the population. Now 800-some birds live on four islands. The biggest population is on Machias Island.The biggest population is on Machias Island, but the closest to where most people visit Maine is Eastern Egg Rock, which houses about 150 puffins. Summer boat tours visit the birds, but don't go ashore.
From New Harbor Hardy Boat (800)-2-PUFFIN From Boothbay Harbor Cap'n Fish (207) 633-3244 Others are on Eastern Egg Rock, Seal Island NWR and Matinicus Rock. Summer boat tours visit the birds, seldom going ashore. Norton tours the island from, Jonesport, (207) 497-5933 Bold Coast leaves from Cutler, ME (207) 259-4484 |
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Nantucket Shark Cage Dives - MA Few people realize that right off Cape Cod there's a big population of sharks all summer. Nantucket Shark Dives, run by Bryce Rohrer, a veteran of South Africa shark cave dives, leads tours 10-40 miles off Nantucket. You'll probably see blues, maybe makos and there's always a chance of sunfish or whales. $800 for cage dives (up to four people), $1,000 for free dives (up to four divers), (203)-273-1748 |
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Coywolf School - Cape Cod, MA Jon Way, a wildlife biologist who studies and advocates for the coy-wolf through the group Eastern Coyote Research, offers a tour of the new predator of the East. You can tag along on expeditions to watch and radio track America's new predominant canine predator. |
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Plains -- See other animals on the Plains | |
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 Map » |
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Little River Zoo -- OK Little River Zoo isn't a traditional zoo, but more of a refuge for unusual animals that people mistakenly thought would be good pets. You can pet porcupines (here or in some of their traveling petting zoo outreach programs) and see lynx or lizards close up. Everyone gets a guided tour. The non-profit tries to teach how to treat animals with respect. They've also got monkeys, caimans, wolf hybrids, servals, coatis, binturong, bears, lemurs and cougars. |
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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. Map » |
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Texas - See other animals in Texas | |
Texas Dolphins In a world where dolphins are often put on display for an overly adoring public, Erv and Sonja Strong have found another way. For decades they've been getting to know the dolphins of Corpus Christi Bay. |
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South - See other aninals Down South | |
Louisiana Pink Dolphin A pink bottlenose dolphin has been spotted about 50 times since 2007 in the shipping channel between Lake Calcasieu and Lake Charles, mainly by charter boat captain Erik Rue. NOAA says the dolphin is travelling with its mother and two others. Stay 50 yards back from pinkie--if you see her--and limit your gawking to 30 minutes, they advise. |
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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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Florida - See other animals in Florida | |
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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Cape Coral Burrowing Owls -- FL Cape Coral, FL, is the capitol of burrowing owl, Athene cunicularia. The Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife even has an annual owl festival, map of nesting sites, instructions on how to set up a burrow and etiqutte rules. |
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The West - See other animals out West | |
Grand Canyon Condors -- AZ About 50 condors now live in Arizona. The best time and place to see them is the south rim of the Grand Canyon in May, Arizona Fish and Game says. Some roost near the Bright Angel Lodge.
The vulture-like bird was down to 27 birds before all were captured for a breeding program. Now about 350 exist, about half in the wild, including some in Arizona, Utah and Wyoming. The birds still have to be captured twice a year to test for lead levels in their blood. They are poisoned by hunter's bullets.
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Meerkat Fellow Earthlings Sanctuary The Fellow Earthlings Sanctuary takes in meerkats from zoos that no longer want them. The coolest thing about the sanctuary is that you can make a $100 donation and then get to spend a couple hours with the charismatic and complicated animals. Animal lover Pam Bennett-Wallberg founded the sanctuary in 1995--long before the animals became so popular because of Meerkat Manor. The desert location outside Palm Springs is just like their Kalahari home.11427 West Dr, Morongo Valley, CA (760) 363-1344 |
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White Pine Lake - UT White Pine Lake, in the middle of the Unita-Wasach-Cache National Forest outside of Salt Lake City, is a likely spot to look for pika. These little rodents that look like wild gerbils were considered for the endangered species list in 2010 but rejected. Utah says it appears in a few of the high elevation areas in the state and comes out during the day above the tree line. Here's a map of where they live in Utah. |
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Vail Nature Center - CO The Vail Nature Center has plenty of bird walks, but one of their most interesting offerings is a 90-minute beaver tour Monday and Thursday nights. There's a talk, then you drive out to an active lodge. |
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Navajo Nation Zoo - AZ Started in 1962, the Navajo Nation Zoo and Botanical Garden takes care of animals native to the Navajo Nation who cannot survive in the wild. The only Native American zoological facility in the United States, they take care of black bear, bobcats, elk, porcupine, gila monster, eagles and chukar. Admission free. |
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Scottsdale Community College Burrowing Owls - AZ For the last decade burrowing owls have made Scottsdale Community College home. They live in drainpipes, especially near the frontage road, adjoining the farmland of the Pima Indian Reservation |
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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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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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Snow Canyon State Park - UT The poisonous Gila Monster is very difficult to find, but Snow Canyon State Park is one of the few places it still exists. April-May are the peak of their activity in Utah, Tom Webster, of thee Red Cliffs Desert Reserve, (another likely spot) told Brett Prettyman of the Salt Lake Tribune. Look for tracks in the sand. Watch out for rattlesnakes and scorpions. |
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Red Cliffs Desert Reserve -- UT The Red Cliffs Desert Reserve was created after the desert tortoise was declared threatened in 1990. The Nature Conservancy says this is the area has the densest population of the desert tortoise. That doesn't mean they're easy to spot, though. They've also gotten transplants of rare Mojave desert tortoises. |
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Grays Lake NWR -- ID Grays Lake National Wildlife Refuge has the country's largest population of greater Sandhill Cranes. Up to 1,200 cranes nest at the refuge. The cranes hatch in early June. |
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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 map » |
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Alaska - See other animals in Alaska | |
California -- See other animals in California | |
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.
Seaforth Sportfishing, H&M Landing, and Huli Cat offer trips. |
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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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Hawaii --- See other animals in Hawaii | |
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 Dr., Kapolei, HI (808) 671-2512 |
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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 $96 (2009), bring your snorkel, HaleiwaTown, (808) 228-5900 Hawaii Shark Encounters 66-800 Haleiwa Rd, Haleiwa, HI (808) 351-9373 |
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Canada -- See other animals in Canada | |
Latin America -- See other animals in Latin America | |
Baja California Friendly Gray Whales - Mexico The curiously friendly gray whales in Charles Siebert's New York Times Magazine piece Watching Whales Watching Us can be found primarily in 3 areas off Baja, California:
BajaQuest says Guerrero Negro was the first whale sanctuary. According to Moon, you can either arrange a boat for yourself or go out with Malarrimo for $49, which has also has a restaurant and hotel. |
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Sloth Sanctuary, East Coast of Costa Rica The Sloth Sanctuary raises baby sloths, which are frequently orphaned. The founders say sloths turn up here because they face " habitat loss, electrocution by power lines, traffic injuries and death, hunting, and even senseless violence." They treat and release sloths that can make it in the wild. Others serve as ambassadors to teach respect for sloths. You can tour, volunteer or stay in the small hotel. If you've seen an adorable sloth video, it's from here. |
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Arenal, Costa Rica You can see coatis lots of places in Costa Rica, but one of the easiest places is around the Arenal Volcano. A cross between raccoons and hamburglers, the coati mundi is only too happy to come up and steal some food. Many around the Arenal Observatory Lodge. |
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Pablo Escobar's Hippos You can now see Pablo Escobar's controversial hippos on the Hacienda Nápolesestate where he once ruled the drug world about 100 miles from Medellin. |
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Europe - See other animals in Europe | |
Swim with Seals Near Canterbury, England Wildlife Sailing near Canterbury has a most unusual offer: they take you out on a 5 hour cruise with one hour on a sandbanks where you can swim with seals. "No need to swim to them they swim to us!" they say. Users comment confirm seals swim around the visitors playfully. |
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Badger Watch has two blinds and lots of badgers. You go out near dusk with a flashlight. Everyone for three years has seen badgers--an animal few people around the world get to see otherwise.£12 |
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Antwerp Bunnies Antwerp's Stadspark is overrun with feral bunnies. They romp and breed in this small Belgian park like some sort of stand-in for squirrels. The rabbits are pretty colors and clearly dumped pets--or their offspring. |
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Africa | |
Vervet Monkey Foundation - South Africa South Africans often think of vervet monkeys as clever pests. The Vervet Monkey Foundation hopes to change their mind, mend injured monkeys and give a home to those that can't make it in the wild. You can stay and volunteer here.
Plot 35 California, Tarentaalrand,
Tzaneen 0850, South Africa 0834 545 381
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Giraffe Manor, Kenya Giraffe Manor is a Scottish-style estate just outside Nairobi where semi-tame giraffes live and sometimes eat from your window. It's expensive--but it is a mansion with giraffes. A couple, since retired started the Giraffe Centre, also on the 140-acre grounds, to save the Rothschild Giraffe and to teach Kenya kids about conservation. You can also just pay to visit without staying over. Bonus species: warthog, bush buck 254 (20) 251 3166 Mukoma Road, Langata, Nairobi, Kenya
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Flying Sharks of South Africa Great white sharks off South Africa are known to leap out of the water to catch seals. The hotspot of this rare breeching habit is False Bay, about 20 miles south of Cape Town. The season is April-September. |
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Ghana Hippo Sanctuary Wechiau Community Hippo Sanctuary, along the Black Volta River in Ghana, was started by locals to both saved the hippo and give the community some eco-tourism money. The 40 km-long sanctuary was started in 1996 and required moving villages. It's stabilized one of two hippo populations in Ghana. Tanduori, Ghana |
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Asia | |
Kazaringa, Assam, India Kazaringa National Park in Assam, India, has the world's largest populations of one-horned rhinos and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The park has beenhit by poachers going after rhino horn to send to China, but it also sends rhinos to other parks in India. Kazaringa, recently featured in National Geographic, is off the tourist track because it's in the remote eastern province of Assam. You ride on elephant on safari to see wild elephants, tigers,barasinghs (swamp deer), sambas, panther, civet, baur, wild buffalo, sloth bear. |
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Krau Elephant Sanctuary, Malaysia Malaysia's Krau Wildlife Reserve has 70-some species of bats and a sanctuary for displaced elephants in Kuala Gandah. The park breedsseladang (a kind of buffalo) and hosts Malayan Peacock-pheasant. Malaysian Bat Education Adventure says the park has wild dog, clouded leopard, leopard, tiger, Malayan tapir, Malayan sun bear, gaur, civet, 19 species of squirrel and flying squirrel, mouse deer, otters, siamang, whitehanded gibbon, banded-leaf monkey, dusky-leaf monkey, and slow loris. |
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Orangutan Rehab Center, Malaysia Malaysia's Semengoh Wildlife Rehabilitation Centretakes in organutans that have been illegally captured or kept as pets and trains them to live in the wild. You can visit for twice daily feedings, which you witness from a distance. The center also retrainshornbills, an odd bird with a comically huge beak that seals itself in a tree to nest. The center is about 15 miles south of Kuching in the state of Sarawak on the island of Borneo. |
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Chengdu Panda Breeding Center The Chengdu Panda Breeding and Research Centeris a big destination for western tourists in China. China is trying to save its iconic, endangered panda with an ambitious breeding program for the animal that has a notoriously hard time reproducing and finding nutrition. The several sanctuaries in the Wolong, Mt Siguniang and Jiajin Mountains area are a UNESCO World Heritage site. |
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Snow Monkey Park, Japan Jigokudani (Hell's Valley) yaenkoen accomodates the nothernmost monkeys in he world by offering them a natural hot spring. The Japanese Macaque (Macaca fuscata), also known as the Snow Monkey or saru, keep warm in the hot springs in the winter. BluePlanetBiomes says the monkeys live in four spots in Japan: Honshu's Shimokita Peninsula in the northwest; the Nagano Mountains near the Shiga Kogen volcano; the island of Oshima, just off the Hanto Peninsula and the subtropical island of Yaku-Shima, which has the most. The Jigokudani Monkey Park is the easiest way to see them.Zeno's Guide has useful monkey-watching tips. |
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Australia | |
Dingo Discovery Center Dingoes, the native Australian wolf, have much the same image problem here as wolves around the world. Plus, people just think they're baby-eating dogs. So, dog judges Lyn and Peter Watson set up the Dingo Discovery Centre, just outside Melbourne, to let people see these wild canids in action andlearn about them. Call for reservations. |
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Warrawong Earth Sanctuary, Australia Warrawong Earth Sanctuary takes in native animals with hopes of releasing them to the wild. They have a rare captive breeding program for endangered quolls. They also take in kangaroos, wallabies, platypus and have 100 bird species, including the laughing kookaburra.
You can visit any day but Christmas and even arrange to camp over in a cabin. Earth Sanctuaries, Stock Rd, Mylor SA 5153, Australia, (08) 8370 9422
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Got any other interesting animals to see? Tell us about it.