10 American Animals You Don’t Know
Published on November 14, 2007 - 53 Comments
When tourists think of American wildlife, certain national treasures come to mind. American Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). American Bison (Bison bison). Bluegill Fish(Lepomis macrochirus). But here are 10 North American animals I’ll bet you are less familiar with. The amazing thing is, I have met people who live in the areas that these animals also live in, and they have no idea they existed!!!
10. Ringtail Cat Bassariscus astutus
Now isn’t this animal a Disney creation? Big dark eyes, ring tail, nocturnal, and crunches up pesky mice and can be tamed? (Only if possession of one is legal to possess in your state!) Check out the cuteness factor… it’s at 11! These little guys were known as “miner’s cats” and early miners did use them as rodent exterminators.
The first time I remember seeing one of these was when I was a child and watching a Disney Series, “The Secrets of Old Glory Mine”, made in 1976, on the newly minted Disney-channel on cable. (Ah… the 80’s…) Hence my utmost fascination with all things Procyonid … that’s the mammals in the raccoon family, for peeps not in the know!
9. Collared Peccary Pecari tajacu
This ain’t no oinker! This little pig-like mammal evolved right here in North America. They are cute, territorial, and generally ignore humans. They cannot be domesticated and live in family groups.
Peccaries are hardly seen, because they are highly secretive. If you live in the Southern United States, these little guys can be found in desert environments, usually munching on Prickly Pear.
8. Roseate Spoonbill Platalea ajaja
Here is a South Florida Treasure! (got to represent!) This moderately unattractive bird is by far one of the most beautiful birds! They evolved that unusual proboscis to feed on tiny crustaceans, snails, insects, and various other squishy denizens of the murky mangrove swamps of the Southern United States. Seeing a pair of these courting one another is a sight to behold! They are a social species, and are unmistakable upon first being viewed.
7. Pronghorn Antelope Antilocapra americana
Where you aware that the second fastest land mammal in the world lives in North America? The pronghorn inhabits grassy plains and semi-desert environments in the western states. These guys can run in excess of 60 miles an hour, for hours! Guess back before predator eradication, they had to be fleet-footed to escape from hungry wolves, mountain lions, and bobcats. Now they just have to worry about being hunted by sportsmen and habitat destruction.
6. American Paddlefish Polyodon spathula
Here is an ancient throwback to the Paleozoic era. (300 -400 million years ago) the Paddlefish has fossil evidence from before the first known dinosaurs left fossils!
This gentle, shy, ancient dweller of murky, slow-moving rivers is an American survivor. They have been captured extensively over the years for their eggs, known as roe or caviar. They also are susceptible to habitat destruction, for they require sandy-bottomed, slow moving rivers.
5. Periodic Cicada
Also known as the 17-year cicada, these harmless flying protein bars are a familiar site to those of us who live in the Northern states. (I believe that this past summer was the summer of the cicadas in Chicago.)
I witnessed the cicada spectacle back in the summer of 1990 as wide-eyed teenager in Chicago… and these orange-eyed, noisy, slightly annoying bugs where everywhere! They leave their molted skins on every possible vertical surface… trees, houses, people… There was a resounding beauty to them… they don’t bite since they have no mouth parts, all they do is grow, molt, and make other cicadas. Pretty nice gig, if you ask me.
4. Giant Desert Centipede Scolopendra heros
Okay. There are no animals I am afraid of. But these multi-legged wonders of nature give me a major case of the heebie-jeebies! I saw one at a reptile trade show a few years back. It was propped up in a glass container, devouring a mouse! It was like a train wreck… I couldn’t look away!
These rather large centipedes live in the Southern deserts of the United States and can reach lengths of 8 inches. They are primarily nocturnal, and like to hide under debris such as logs and rocks during the day to escape the desert heat. These guys can pack a pretty painful bite! So don’t be stupid… no touchy!
Afterword: I discovered that the Giant Centipede is extremely maternal and protects her eggs and young! Kinda neat… I have a newfound respect for Arthropods that don’t bail on their young…
3. Gulf Coast Jaguarondi Puma yaguarondi cacomitli
The jaguarondi is a unique feline that is native to Central America and has a remnant population living Southern Texas. These reclusive cats are unusual looking, resembling an animal more weasel-like than cat-like. They are beautiful and rare. They prey on peccaries, rabbits, and birds. Habitat destruction is their main threat on survival.
Afterword: There is supposedly a small wild population of non-native Jaguarondis living in Florida. I can’t find too much info on them, but I have a personal friend who was a Florida Fish & Game Officer in the 70’s and he said he saw a pair while on patrol on Merrit Island.
2. Loggerhead Shrike Lanius ludovicianus
Also known as a “Butcher Bird” this little flying wonder shows that first impressions count, but aren’t always entirely true. A Shrike is a songbird that kills and impales its victims. Really.
In all seriousness, this is one no-nonsense predatory bird. It’s beak is hooked, like a hawk’s, and after it catches it’s prey, which may be insects or rodents, it then impales them on any suitable source. This is so that it has an anchor to hold its meal while it eats. You see they may have a raptor’s beak and hunting skill, but those spindly little songbird legs couldn’t hold down a mouse. So they use a natural fork.
1. Glass Lizards genus Ophisaurus
These guys are often mistaken for snakes. But, they are simply legless lizards. And no, snakes are not legless lizards!
Like many lizards, these little garden predators will “drop” their tails if grabbed or if they feel severely threatened. They eat insects and rodents, and are actually quite stunning to look at. The easiest way to tell the difference between them and true snakes is they blink. (true snakes have no eyelids)
Bonus: Skunk Mephitis Mephitis
Because I so love this species I will place them on this list. Many people smell these Native American animals frequently, but hardly ever see them.
There are several species that have evolved the usage of vile bodily fluids to discourage predators or for defense, but none quite so well as the Skunk. They can actually aim each of their anal glands individually and separately to ensure their target gets a full round of ammunition. No, skunks don’t poo on you. They use a secretion from their anal glands to make sure you remember to leave them alone in the future!
I also have a pet skunk I adore named peso. Go fig. I’m eccentric.
Contributor: Roxy
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1. SubliminalDeath666 - November 14th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
Can’t believe I’m th first one to comment! What should I say?! I have no idea! Umm….. I love animals!
2. jfrater - November 14th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
SubliminalDeath666: The early bird catches the worm
3. TMo - November 14th, 2007 at 2:56 pm
We caught a skunk in our squirrel trap by accident. Then, while it was sleeping, the neighbor dropped cage and animal into a trashcan full of water
pretty shitty. i was young then, and i consider that day my loss of innocence.
4. conni - November 14th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
What a cool list! I knew about some of these critters, but not all. I am jealous of you having a pet skunk! I want one very much, but alas, I live in California where it’s a no-no. Ferrets are a no-no as well, but all the pet stores carry ferret supplies! Go figure! Is your skunk cuddly? =)
5. yaurt - November 14th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
the ringtail cat looks so cute!
6. dangorironhide - November 14th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
SubliminalDeath666: Dude, ‘first comment’ing is lame…
7. Christopher Borne - November 14th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
“(Only if possession of one is legal to possess in your state!)”
Umm, isn’t that rather redundant and wrong?
8. Atom - November 14th, 2007 at 3:33 pm
Yeah, this past summer was when all the 17-year cicadas came up in chicago. In the early summer…they were every where. Theres a lot of old, big, trees on my street and they were all completely covered in them. It was cool the first few days, but very annoying afterwords. They were so noisey you had to talk really loud just to be heard outside (they make very loud buzzing/hissing noises).
9. Kelsi - November 14th, 2007 at 3:35 pm
4: AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! WHAT IS THAT AND WHY IS IT SO SCARY! omg. o.o I’m never moving to the South. Ever.
I once saw a wild pronghorn antelope in Connecticut….it was really strange. And the loggerhead shrike? That’s crazy, I didn’t know any animals did that! Anyway, good list. I wasn’t aware of some of these.
You should have included flying squirrels though…the family I used to live with owned one that their brother found. He’s a logger…cut down a dead tree with a nest of babies. =( So he saved them. They’re wicked cute! Actually, here’s a picture of one of them. http://photos-087.ll.facebook......8_9939.jpg
10. Kelsi - November 14th, 2007 at 3:39 pm
PS: SubliminalDeath666, dangorironhide is right. L4m3.
11. mix2323 - November 14th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
i want one of those Ringtail Cats
12. Bill - November 14th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
Please never let this person write any more lists. It was filled with lame humor and was a pain in the ass to read, so I just resorted to looking at the names and searching wikipedia.
13. mklong - November 14th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
dont see the goat sucker on here
14. Gravy - November 14th, 2007 at 5:24 pm
Bill, I dissagree.
Good list.
15. 9000 - November 14th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
Bill: Lighten up, your highness, this isn’t a literary site. And I can’t see how this was any worse than a Wikipedia entry.
16. roxy - November 14th, 2007 at 6:09 pm
Thanks gang! It’s my very first list ever, so please excuse any grammatical errors or repititions!
I have always lived, and worked, around animals. Here in florida, it is legal to own a skunk, so long as you have a license for it, and yes-Peso is a cuddle-muffin! No, he doesn’t stink. He smells musky, like cheap cologne… which makes sense, since the anal secretions of many mustelids is used in the produciton process of perfume.
Bill, thanks for the constructive critisism. How about some suggestions on how I can improve my lists instead of just complaining to Jaime about how poorly you find this one?
(I also think my sense of humor is fine… it’s just difficult for me to convey dry wit in writing without body language)
Glad you all enjoyed this list! I have more to come…
17. Cyn - November 14th, 2007 at 6:16 pm
which makes sense, since the anal secretions of many mustelids is used in the production process of perfume.
*faints*
i will never wear perfume again….oh, wait..LOL..i don’t now. must’ve have known it was produced in some vile fashion. actually perfume gives me a case of the sneezies and/or a headache.
good list Roxy and look forward to more!
18. souxieq - November 14th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
Good job, Roxy!!!!! I rather enjoyed your list. Never owned a pet skunk, but I’ve had pigs, ferrets, and raccoons. I love wild animals.
My husband once spotted an honest to goodness bobcat in the woods behind the house, which he thought was the greatest thing, and I happen to agree.
19. el duderino - November 14th, 2007 at 6:34 pm
Cyn, very expensive perfumes still use ambergris, which is a type of Sperm Whale vomit that floats around on the ocean. Nice huh?
20. StewWriter - November 14th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
Very well done and I actually found it really funny since I have lived in the US my whole life, Michigan to be exact, and it always strikes me as odd that animals such as these are so unknown to ‘outsiders’ while perfectly common here. Very well done and I look forward to seeing more lists from you in the future! Take it from a ‘lister’, you will get the beat-down more often than not, so take it in stride!
21. Cyn - November 14th, 2007 at 6:45 pm
dude - oh god. speaking of vomit! gak!
Stew - ‘beat-down’? *sigh* it does get a bit heated in here at times. hopefully people will recognize the difference between personal opinions and personal attacks and cut each other some slack. as a veteran of other forums and other sites that have ‘communities’ i am so hoping as our list of ‘regulars’ grows that we’ll all keep it friendly and not ‘flaming’. would love all our listers and commenters to just be friendly and supportive….
okay…c’mon guys, group hug!
ROFLMAO!
22. StewWriter - November 14th, 2007 at 7:58 pm
Okay, group hug it is… I am such a damn pacifist I sometimes run away from confrontation with myself…
23. Randall - November 15th, 2007 at 6:53 am
Nice list… only one thing… the cicada DOES have an annoying habit. THAT DAMN NOISE IT MAKES.
ALL NIGHT LONG:
eh eh…. …eh eh… …eh eh… …eh eh…
Just…. imagine that. All night long. Right outside your window. All night. Without end.
24. dan231 - November 15th, 2007 at 7:02 am
Randall- yeah tell me about it. I live in Illinois and it can get pretty bad. This year not so bad, though.
25. DiscHuker - November 15th, 2007 at 7:09 am
“legless lizard”? lets see that thing try to explain that to me when i see it. snakes creep me out. if something with no legs comes slithering my way, i’m sorry, it’s got to go…forever. i’m not taking the time to check it’s drivers license.
how about this animal?
http://www.kingjames.co.za/ima.....%20man.jpg
26. jchoma - November 15th, 2007 at 7:18 am
#10, (the Ring-tailed Cat) is also known as a Cacomistle. And what beautiful creatures they are. One of my favorite animals — but a few words of caution –
1. They’re nocturnal and really can’t be broken from this habit. Thus, the necessity for a cage. They are as bad as raccoons in their desire to rummage through EVERYTHING.
2. They have a bit of a musky aroma. Similar to that of a mink or ferret. I’m not sure if they can be descented.
They are illegal to have as pets in several states. As to why they’re illegal… I’m not sure. My guess is that people would want one because they are so cute, but wind up turning them loose, because they are a handful. And woe be to the small animal population.
As for why miners kept them as pets: they will eliminate pests as well as, if not better than your typical housecat. They’re also very flexible and can get in and out of tight, cramped spots.
But all-in-all, a beautiful animal.
27. ryanh - November 15th, 2007 at 7:36 am
Roxy - This is a very good list. I’ve never heard of many of these animals, and I was interested to read further about them on Wikipedia. As a writer, I understand where Bill is coming from, I just don’t share his impatience or inability to communicate. What I found hard to read about the list was not the humor, keep that up, but some confusing sentences. I got caught on things like, “This moderately unattractive bird is by far one of the most beautiful birds!” and, “…the Paddlefish has fossil evidence from before the first known dinosaurs left fossils!” I understand what these sentences mean, but a little clarification would help (ie: How can it be unattactive and the most beautiful at the same time, or what does ‘having fossil evidence’ mean). Keep up the good work. I look forward to your future lists; they’ll surely be as creative as this one.
Ryan
28. Binglebore - November 15th, 2007 at 7:49 am
That is very diplomatic ryanh. I agree that it is an interesting list, but it is poorly written.
29. Vicky - November 15th, 2007 at 8:07 am
Ahhh, seventeen year cicadas, brings back memories. I was in fourth grade, and all the boys though it would be wildly entertaining to eat them.
30. RockChalk - November 15th, 2007 at 10:31 am
I liked this list a lot and I am glad you included skunks even if they are not an uncommon animal. I work at a wildlife rehabilitation center and although we do not take adult skunk since they are too odiferous we often had broods of baby skunks. They are one of my favorite species to handle and when they get older and start having the instinct to spray its the most amusing thing in the world. They can’t quite spray yet but they try, they stamp thier feet and grunt. “Keep trying little buddy I think I might smell something!” Anyway, good list.
31. Mr. Mojo - November 15th, 2007 at 11:02 am
The only uncommon pet I have is a baby raccoon. A guy shot its mom, not knowing she had a baby until after the fact, and my wife agreed to take it in. It’s a strange little thing…acts like a cat most of the time but shows definite dog-like traits as well, such as following us around and answering to calls. I also have a chi-weenie (Chihuahua/Dachshund mix) and he and the raccoon get along great together.
Another good animal for this list would be the grey fox, native to Texas. It’s not an endangered species but it is so shy it is commonly thought to be. Most people never see them. I had the good luck to see one myself a couple of months ago.
I was working graveyard shift as a security guard at a mine/sheetrock plant near Sweetwater, TX. We had a guard house located about 1/8 mile away from the actual plant. I was kicked back reading a book when I noticed some movement across the road. I looked up and saw the resident skunk, who’s been around out there for a long time. I sat and watched him for a while, then I saw this grey fox come up over a rise nearby. The fox was apparently wanting to play with the skunk! He did the typical dog thing…bouncing around and nudging at the skunk. I sat and watched for a couple of minutes until the skunk became obviously annoyed. The skunk stood up on its front paws and laid its tail down along its back, a sure sign they’re about to unleash the stench. Of course I didn’t want to spend the next 5 hours smelling skunk, so I jumped up, opened the door, and slapped the side of the guard house. The fox panicked. He turned around and started to run off, but he apparently forgot about the skunk standing 3 feet behind him. Once he got turned around and started running, he noticed the skunk, panicked again, jumped several feet in the air, did a backflip, and landed on the other side of the skunk, and kept on running. The skunk calmly turned around and strutted off, probably thinking what a badass he was for freaking out a predator 5x his size.
32. alisa - November 15th, 2007 at 11:24 am
Awww #10 is sooo cute!
And I live in southern US so I guess I will have to keep my eyes open for #9, a Collared Peccary.
The Glass Lizard is waaay cool. I would love to have one as a pet so I could trick people into mistaking them for a snake. ahahaa. Im mean.
33. Martin L - November 15th, 2007 at 11:53 am
Nice list, Roxy. I actually recognized almost all of these critters, but that’s because I grew up on Walt Disney True Life Adventures, which were all about the Ring-Tailed Cat and the Pronghorn Antelope and the Spoonbill et al. Had most of the books based on that series too.
I live in Buffalo, NY, in the city proper, and interestingly enough we’ve had rabbits, ksunks and raccoons well within the city limits for some years now. (They’re fleeing constuction in the outer suburban rings, as I understand it.) About five years ago we had a small skunk regularly stopping by our backyard, sometimes to help himself to the kibble we were leaving out for a homeless cat in the neighborhood. I would be having a cigarette out my back door in the dead of a summer night, and look over, and there’d be Mr. Fragrant under the kids’ plastic playhouse, looking up very shyly as if to say “Oh, hi, don’t mind me, I was kinda hungry and, uh …” And I’d say, “Hi there, need a snack, huh? Go ahead, not a problem.” And he’d be reassured by my tone, go have a munch from the kitty kibble and then waddle off. We probably had encounters like that three or four times. He never got scared, never sprayed. I think I kind of miss him now.
34. Sandra - November 15th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
i remember camping in texas/new mexico borders when i was a kid and seeing ringtails at night. We learned we could get them to our site to watch by putting out dogfood. That was always really neat.
35. ben - November 15th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Really? people didnt know about these? granted i thought the ringtail cat was totally south american but wow
36. Borg - November 15th, 2007 at 7:45 pm
Ha ha it’s interesting to read what unique pets so many people here have. Quite an eclectic assortment!
I think it would have been helpful if information on where these animals are primarily located would have been provided. That way I would know if my ignorance of these animals is justifiable or not.
37. mishele - November 15th, 2007 at 9:20 pm
We’ve hosted possums and skunks at our outdoor cat feeding station; racoons too sometimes. The calmest ones are the skunks. I put out a trap for a sick feral cat once, and got a baby skunk instead. I was sure I would get sprayed when I opened it up, so I put a tarp between me and the trap, then reached around to open the door. he strolled calmly out and went on his way.
Another time I lived in a old cottage on a very steep hill. The cottage had no foundations, was just balancing on some rocks. I had a mother skunk and her babies move in right below my living room. I could hear them chittering at eachother, and sometimes I’d get up early enough to see them trooping in from their early-morning insect hunt. I liked having them there besides how cute they were - they munched on the scorpions and Jerusalem crickets in my yard.
38. 20Fan20 - November 15th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
A cool part of the list is that you get a sense of perspective. Most of the animals I have never heard of. Yet living in Idaho the antelopes can be seen all the time. In fact it might be the only one of the list you can hunt and eat. The same goes for skunks but since they are NOT the desented kind you pray you or your dog does not get too close.
39. florida - November 15th, 2007 at 11:26 pm
We have a ton of glass lizards here in florida, though everyone here calls them glass snakes. I catch them in my backyard all the time, and they’re very calm.
40. Crimanon - November 16th, 2007 at 7:54 am
Oddly, I was thinking about the spoonbill earlier today. Weird.
41. Robert - November 17th, 2007 at 6:19 am
Skunks seem to be pretty common out where I live…and I live in the middle of a city.
There’s been many nights when I’ve been outside smoking and seen one just walk by.
42. Ark - November 17th, 2007 at 5:14 pm
There are cicada’s all around my house. One night my dad woke me up late to show me huge amounts of cicada shells on my garage door. I hate bugs of all sorts, but that was pretty cool.
43. Diogenes - November 17th, 2007 at 6:44 pm
Those Roseate Spoonbills use to crawl up out of my kitchen sink in the middle of the night when I use to live on a houseboat in the everglades and the only way of really “teaching them lesson” (or so I thought) was to take these long metal clamps I owned and grip them on their flatted bill tips, and yank those nosey f*ckers out doors. It once got so bad that I had to sleep on my roof for two months and when I finally took back my “ship”, the furniture in the livingroom was all rearanged and my library of books was ceremoniously stacked into a pyramid like structure in the middle of the room.
44. Katrina - November 21st, 2007 at 10:43 am
I’m from south Texas, and I was wondering whether peccarines are more commonly known to locals as “javalinas”. Because that picture looks like a javalina if I’ve ever seen one. Plus, I have never ever ever heard of the Jaguarondis. Never. Strange. The spoonbills can also be seen on the Texas gulf coast.
45. jfrater - November 21st, 2007 at 10:53 am
Katrina: to be honest I have no idea - hopefully the contributor can shed some light on your question
46. Washtub - November 23rd, 2007 at 6:38 am
There’s another one that could be added to the list: the Velvet Ant, which is really a wingless wasp. I found a few at Clemson in the past couple of years and they are really cool looking!
Great list! Keep it up, and don’t let the no nothings get you down!
47. roxy - November 26th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
katrina - a javelena and a peccary are one and the same. kinda like a cougar and a mountain lion. check out this site… http://www.tamuk.edu/about/javelina/
48. SaiCloud - December 3rd, 2007 at 11:39 am
really awesome list!!, i think #3 is really beautiful and I’d love to see one, and of course the ringtail is adorable!!
49. avi - January 6th, 2008 at 10:27 am
roxy:Actually skunks are mephitids, not mustelids
50. Maxx_the_Slash - February 3rd, 2008 at 2:51 pm
I ran over the already run-over remains of a skunk once while driving once. The smell wouldn’t fade off my tired for days. And once driving home from work one night, as i was leaving the parking lot, a co-worker was following me, and I stopped suddenly when I almost hit a live skunk in the dark. He gave me a hard time for the near-fender-bender, saying he would have just ran over the skunk. I didn’t want it’s guts and stink all over my wheels.
51. Alli - February 11th, 2008 at 4:45 pm
Living in suburban NY, one would think wildlife here might be at a minimum. Not so; deer are all over, an extended family of coon live in the local sewer system, and a small family of skunk have made a home somewhere near mine. I usually find the skunks either sitting on our porch, or walking across the front yard. Scary when one considers I live on a very active main road and one of the alternative routes into the city.
We had one on the porch a couple months ago; a beautiful lil girl (guy?) with a white streak so large it was mainly a white skunk with a little black on the legs. And we always know when the neighborhood cats have been bothering them. Good thing skunk smell doesn’t bother me.
52. TheGunslinger - February 11th, 2008 at 9:01 pm
A lot of these animals are really amazing, and it’s a shame they aren’t more widely recognized. Good list topic, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
P.S. - The Ringtail Cat bears a striking resemblance to my interpretation of a Billy Bumbler from the Dark Tower series.
53. Ghidoran - March 17th, 2008 at 2:49 pm
Everyone knows aboutthe Pronghorn antelope