Favorite wild animals

[Mendalla]

Do you have a favorite wild animal? That is, not a domestic pet or food source, but an animal living free in the wild.

One of my favorite groups of wild animals are cetaceans; whales, porpoises, dolphins, orcas, etc. They represent a fascinating, and very well-documented, evolutionary branch of the mammals. Their earliest ancestors lived on land, becoming first amphibious, then aquatic. Some of them may be the most intelligent non-hominin mammals. Science YouTuber Ben G Thomas has a nice two part overview of cetacean evolution. Part one covers the prehistoric mammals that led to modern cetaceans while part two covers the various families of modern cetaceans. Sadly, we have lost one entire branch of the group just this century, with the presumed extinction of the baiji, a small dolphin relative that lived in the Yangtze River in China and was the only species extant in its family.

 

[paradox3]

I don't have a single favorite but I like giraffes, panda bears, gorillas and orangutans. Lemurs, too.

We have said farewell to the pandas at the Toronto Zoo and they are now in Calgary.

In the wild here, I like chipmunks but not if they come too close.

 

[Mendalla]

gorillas and orangutans

Me, too, in case you haven't noticed.

 

[Tabitha]

I love most animals but Ravens are special for me. Driving down the mountain recently 2 of them escorted me for quite awhile.

 

[Lastpointe]

I think my favourites might be elephants.

But I love them all. But then I réalisé I exclude a lot. Rats , mice, cockroaches.

 

[ninj]

No favourites...I love animals, and can at least see how each has an important place. I have a few "special" choices these days though...barred owls, flying squirrels, hares, bobcats....birds.

 

[paradox3]

I have some favorite birds as well. . .

Cardinals. Goldfinches. Chickadees. Great blue herons . . .

 

[ninj]

These little guys have found me a few times. They are so vulnerable.

 

[JRT]

Once common in Saskatchewan but trophy hunters have now made it quite rare. The Jackalope:

https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/taxidermy-picture-id667643337?s=612x612

 

[paradox3]

Once common in Saskatchewan but trophy hunters have now made it quite rare. The Jackalope:

https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/taxidermy-picture-id667643337?s=612x612

 

[Mendalla]

These little guys have found me a few times. They are so vulnerable.

Had one try to move in with me many many years ago, when I was living in my first apartment in Hamilton. Have also seen them at various other times.

I actually visited a cave where the bats below nest in Cuba. The guide called them big-eared bats but I can't actually find a species of big-eared bat native to Cuba. He says they are fruit bats, rather than insectivores like our brown bats. They were flying all around us in the cave. A thrilling experience. The picture below was taken on my phone by the guide. This one was roosting in the nursery and only the guide was allowed close to that area.

 

[paradox3]

Bats are our friends when it comes to eating mosquitoes.

Ditto for dragonflies which are also pretty interesting little creatures.

 

[Mendalla]

Bats are our friends when it comes to eating mosquitoes.

I am someone who is not fond of bugs and my family both react badly to mosquito bites so the more insectivores, bats, purple martins, or whatever, around the better.

 

[paradox3]

I have a bird book which tells me purple martins most commonly reside in purple martin houses. This has always struck me as very funny.

I guess people build those apartment type bird houses for them because they eat so many mosquitoes.

 

[paradox3]

Turtles are quite wonderful, too.

Did you know there is a turtle watch program? All you need to do is report a turtle sighting (anywhere in Ontario, I believe) and you will receive an invitation for 2 to an annual event at the Toronto Zoo. It is not geared to little kids but older children would enjoy it.

There are talks and displays. Free pizza lunch. Free admission to the Zoo for the rest of the day.

There is a frog watch program as well. We went to the event a few years ago. Some people are absolutely passionate about both turtles and frogs!

 

[Mendalla]

Snakes are probably my favorite modern reptiles. Lizards are cool, too, but we don't really have any around here (well, that I've ever seen, apparently there is a skink native to Southern Ontario) whereas I do see snakes around from time to time. One of the things I love about visiting the Caribbean basin and Central America is seeing the various species of iguana that live down there.

 

[Mrs.Anteater]

I used to love frogs as a child, but now I would go with hummingbirds.

 

[ninj]

As a kid, I spent hours around the woods and creek...up to my knees in muck and mint chasing leopard frogs, bullfrogs and finding painted turtles.
I've seen a few kinds of Ontario snakes. The Smooth Greensnakes are like jewels.
I heard that the presence of frogs can reflect the health of a wetland.
I also adore hummingbirds.

 

[BetteTheRed]

I don't think I can have a favourite (although I get a bit dubious about the utility of bedbugs). I admit to a particular admiration for octopi because they're so frigging smart, and orangutan, because they're so very human.

 

[paradox3]

Bedbugs give me a bit of a problem when I consider the idea of God being "in all creation". Ditto for viruses and harmful bacteria which are also living creatures when you think about it. And tapeworms.

I am not one to idealize nature but it contains some remarkable things, as folks have been sharing on this thread.