Humans have a great curiosity about animals. We keep pets, watch nature documentaries and you can find a zoo in most populated areas. Sometimes, it seems, wildlife has the same curiosity. Or at the very least they just want our food.
So as you are going about your day, keep an eye out. There might be some local fauna just hanging about! But it’s important to remember safety precautions when coming face to face with wild animals. We’ve put together some tips to keep you safe.
Bored Panda has gathered some human - animal encounters that probably left both parties confused. Upvote your favorites, comment your wildlife experiences and enjoy this list.
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Baby Foxes Showed Up To Say Hi At My Grandmother's House
Many years ago, after a big snowfall (I was not living in a place where this is an usual sighting) I came outside in the early morning and saw a beautiful red fox standing still among my lavender plants. We stared at each other. After few seconds of enchantment the fox ran to the borders of my property, staring at me one last time (I was still blocked). I'll never forget that stare. She's still in my heart.
Living Alone In Nashville, I Used To Wake Up Every Morning To This Gal (She's Wild) Squawking For Food At My Back Slider
One morning I serenaded her with my guitar. The next week she made a nest and laid eggs on my patio... I named her Greta.
Security Light Went Off At 1 Am. This Little Guy Found My Dog's Ball
He/She was actually 1 of 3, that were playing with each other in the backyard. I stayed up watching for almost an hour.
Animals are actually quite practical. Suburban areas often provide an abundant food source for animals, including garbage, pet food, and bird feeders. This can attract raccoons, skunks, squirrels, and other animals that are looking for an easy meal. Sometimes wildlife has to deal with steadily declining habitats. As human populations grow and development increases, wildlife habitats are being destroyed and fragmented, forcing animals to move into suburban areas in search of food and shelter.
Urbanization and suburban sprawl can also disrupt migration patterns and create barriers that prevent animals from reaching their traditional habitats. This can force animals to adjust their ranges and seek new habitats, which often includes suburban areas. It's important to remember that while wildlife encounters in suburban areas can be exciting, they can also pose a danger to both humans and animals.
Saw This Beauty Yesterday
Never post the location online when you see a white deer. Unfortunately they are a magnet for trophy hunters who would rather look at the head of one stuck on a wall.
A Rescued Baby Beaver
The Possum That Visits Our Deck Every Evening Brought Along Somebody Special Last Night! Meet Deckster And Backster
It's important for humans to remember that wildlife encounters can be dangerous and unpredictable, so it's crucial to take precautions to stay safe. When encountering large animals like bears, moose, or elk, it's recommended to give them a wide berth and avoid getting too close. These animals can be territorial and may feel threatened if approached too closely. Keep a safe distance, speak calmly and avoid making sudden movements to avoid inciting an aggressive response. If you are worried about a specific area, consult your local wildlife authority to find out when would be the safest time to hike or camp.
Just A Friendly Local I Met On A Hike Yesterday (Portugal)
Found This Guy Under My Car This Morning. Spent About 10 Minutes Hand-Feeding Him Carrots And Broccoli
Fox Sleeping On Skylight
Smaller creatures can also be dangerous in the right circumstances. If you come across a venomous snake, it's important to stay calm and avoid sudden movements. Keep a safe distance and don't try to touch or approach the snake. Snakes will generally only attack if they feel threatened, so it's important to give them space. In general, when hiking or camping, it's important to store food securely to avoid attracting wildlife like bears, raccoons, or other animals. Keep a clean camp, store food in airtight containers, and hang it from a tree at least 10 feet off the ground to keep it away from animals.
This Wild Goose Flew In And Became Friends With My Grandma's Farm Goose. He Hasn't Left In Over A Year
Owl Landed On My Friend's Head At A Luke Bryan Concert
Owls Born Outside Of Office Windows Won't Stop Staring At Workers Inside
If you encounter a wild animal in close proximity, such as a fox, coyote, or mountain lion, it's vital to stand tall, wave your arms, and make loud noises to scare it away. Never run from a wild animal, as this can trigger their predatory instincts and put you in danger. In the case of marine wildlife encounters, such as with dolphins, whales, or seals, it's important to observe from a safe distance and avoid disturbing their natural behavior. Do not approach them too closely, as this can disrupt their environment and pose a threat to both the animal and yourself.
I Went To The Amazon And Found My Long-Lost Brother
Ran Into This Little Guy While Hiking In The Swiss Alps
Found This Little Guy At Work Today
Wasn’t safe where I found him, so I let him go outside of the job.
OMG, that cutie would totally go home with me. Or, someone would have to talk some sense into me.
Even suburban areas can often provide a sheltered environment that offers protection from predators. For example, deer and other large mammals may find refuge in residential areas, where they can avoid predators and find food, like your half-eaten, discarded pizza. Smaller creatures can enjoy human areas as well. Our gardens are a wonderful hideout and buffet for rabbits, if they can get away with it!
Found This And Thought You All Might Like It. Trash Panda
Went For A Walk Today And My Dog Found A Baby Bird
My Dad Lives Alone In The Australian Bush And Cares For A Family Of Wild Kangaroos, Today He Sent Me This Photo
He’s lucky. I have three rescue kangaroos and they’re all a******s.
Koala Had Wandered Into A House And Decided It Wanted To Be The Fairy On The Christmas Tree
This evening our hotline operator took a call. At first, she thought she was the victim of a prank call.
But no, a koala desperate to get in the Christmas spirit had wandered into Amanda McCormick's house and decided it wanted to be the fairy on the Christmas tree. Amanda was not so sure and rang 1300KOALAZ for help.
Thanks, Amanda for the great pictures and for making sure this little koala got its wish, even if it was just for a short while.
Met This Pretty Lady On My Walk Today
Just A Little Guy
This Chipmunk Looking Up At My Girlfriend On Top Of Eagle Cap Summit, 9570 Ft
Found An Owl Lying In My Backyard This Morning (Don’t Worry I Took Him To A Wildlife Rescue Center)
I took her to the Austin Wildlife Rescue center and the vet working there told me she probably hit her head really hard and has a concussion. She will make a full recovery and will be released as soon as she regains full consciousness.
Momma Deer That Lives On Our Property Came And Showed Us Her Baby
Wild Boar Chilling With Humans
That's either very brave or very stupid of them. Wild boars are incredibly dangerous.
Found This Absolute Unit, Named Him Jimmy Thunderthighs
Let's Pet The Cute Wild Bobcat Kittens, When You See It
This Fella Walked 3 Km From The Beach To A Wheat Farm And Got Lost
Found In Backyard: A Rare And Endangered Peregrine Falcon—the Fastest Bird On The Continent (The Wildlife Commission Reunited Him With His Family)
Deer Family Came To Visit
Got A Gift From My Crow Friends
Clean it and wear it as jewelry. Then you'll have a cool story of how you got your favourite bractelet
I Held A Wild Cardinal Today, And Managed To Even Take Pictures With It
Norwegian Elk Having Fun
Found This Fox Chilling In The Backyard
Found Him Wandering Next To My House
This Curious Stoat Kept Popping Up Next To Me As I Was Relaxing At The Top Of My Hike Today
Moose Visiting My Dad's Garden
My Cat And A Passing-Through Deer Locked Eyes For About 5 Minutes. I Think It Was The Highlight Of My Cat's Entire Life
Oh deer. Think of the cat-astrophe that could have happened if the door was open.
This Newborn Fawn Left By Its Mother Next To My Wife's Freshly Bloomed Peonies
This Wild Magpie And I Have Become Good Friends
We Have A Fox That Comes To Eat And He Gets On With Our Cat
This Sad Raccoon At My Back Door At 2:00 Am, He Was Looking For My Cat Who Wasn't Home
A Nice Wren Couple Moved Into A Hiking Boot In My Parents' Garage, And Today Their Family Grew By 5
Hiking boots are made for all kinds of journeys...this begins a new one
Found On A Walk Snapped A Pic And Moved On
My Daughter Met A Fox Today
Really hope you don't have a cat flap or dog door or something of the sort. Looks cute but that fox is thinking hmmm that's exactly the size of a snack I can handle. Happened so many times here in the uk and not just rural areas but in london. Fox came through cat flaps and dog doors and attacked babies.
Hummingbird Family Made A Nest In A Pair Of Hanging Pool Goggles
A Cheeky Little Visitor Is Affectionately Known As "Bill The Possum" Popped In To Say Hello To Our Mechatronics Students In The ES Building
Look At This Cute Puppy We Found In The Corn Field
For a moment, It's still early here, I was thinking how does that animal look like Russel Crowe? I need more coffee.
Found This Little Guy Hiding In My Daughter's Shirt
Wild Boar Taking A Nap After A Meal
I Managed To Befriend A Wild Crow, Here's Maddie
Found A Baby Possum. Took It To A Wildlife Rehabilitator. She Sent Me This Picture After She Cleaned Him Up
So The Other Day My Dad Called Me And Told Me His Golden Retriever Found A Baby Squirrel That Was Half Alive In The Yard. He Rescued It And Fed It
This is them a few days later. Now It won’t leave his side.
A Fawn I Saw "Hiding" In Plain Sight. He Thinks He's Totally Invisible
Woke Up This Morning And Found An Owl On Our Washing Machine (India)
Woke Up This Morning And Went To The Kitchen To Find A Baby Owl
Found Baby Bunnies In Our Planter
We found these little ones yesterday. Haven't touched them, but put a little bowl of water and some spinach on the other side of the planter. This is by our front door so we have a camera looking at the planter. Caught a video of the mom giving birth and even a coyote walking right past them.
Three Babies Exploring In My Backyard
I may be wrong, but I think they are the most adorable babies ever. Considering every species... c´mon!!
My Friend Took A Bunch Of Pics Of This Pair Of Fawns And Never Saw Their Mom Until He Looked Through Pictures Later
A Mama Deer In Our Neighborhood Regularly Leaves Her Fawns On Our Front Porch For Babysitting While She’s Busy
Gifted A Bonsai Tree, Found An Egg Near The Trunk - This Little One Hatched From It Today
My Dad Found This Box Turtle Nine Years Ago And Let It Loose In His Yard. He Pops Up Again Every Year In The Spring
Fresh from hibernation, here's Gustav the resident backyard box turtle.
Important fact: you should never move box turtles from their home area (unless they're crossing a road, move them to the side they were heading)... they have a very poor ability to find food in New locations. I'm sure this guy has plenty to eat in this backyard tho courtesy of this family.
I Spent An Inordinate Amount Taking My 9-Year-Old To See The Submarine Museum Today, And The Only Thing He Cares About Is Seeing This Fox Jumping In And Out Of The Bin
Friendly Fox Has A Present For You
An Owl Fell Down The Chimney
Found This Guy In The Galápagos
She was closeby - this little pup was just curious about the hoomans.
Came Home From A Walk And Saw This Guy At Our Stairs. After Confirming It’s A Baby Bobcat The Police Called A Local Wildlife Center To Come Get Him
This was on Saturday.
Dustin, my husband, went on a walk and when he was coming home, he found a kitten. He called me and said that it said it had a possible medical problem. I immediately told him to pick it up and bring it in (I was going to evaluate for obvious medical concerns and bring it to the vet). He said that it was hissing and making it known he/she did not want to be handled.
So, I go down and bring some food with me and a towel. After getting there and trying to feed it, with it making it known I was not welcomed either, I notice some stuff that made me realize that I wasn’t dealing with no ordinary kitten... It is a Bobcat kitten!!!! It was just in the corner of the stairs.
Imagine if OPs husband had brought the kitten inside and they just casually brought it to a normal vet for pets
My Neighbors Found This Young Kestrel And Called Him Geralt. Birds Of Prey Can Be Adorable Too
A Kookaburra Flew Down And Sat On My Son’s Knee While He Was Eating Lunch Outside. Clearly Used To Being Fed By Humans
Friend Found A Baby Raccoon In Their Garage, They're In Contact With The Local Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Just A Cutie
So My Wife And I Just Bought Our First House, And The Night After We Moved In, Found Ourselves With A Welcoming Committee In Our Backyard
A Squirrel Ran Into The Store I Work At, And Stole A Chocolate Bar
Saw This Little Cutie On Our Sunday Hike
I Don't Even Own A Fox
Found This Little Girl When I Was Cutting The Grass Today
There's A Wild Piggie And Chiwawa Crew Terrorizing My Mom's Neighborhood
So I've Been Feeding The Squirrels Lately And This Is What I Saw At My Door When I Woke Up
Was Kayaking With My Family In Florida And We Saw A Manatee
My Coworker Rescued This Wild Parrot From A Cat A Few Days Ago. Their Newfound Friendship Made My Week
This Little Guy Was Sitting Patiently On My Shoe When I Took A Break From Hiking In Colorado
On A Road Trip And Saw This Lovely Old Lady Giving Water To A Family Of Ducks Who Are Miles From A Pond On A 101⁰ Day
Hiking Along The Trinity River In DFW, Met This Little Guy
Roxy, Our Gray Fox Finally Posed For A Picture. And Yes, She's Wild
Foxy Roxy looks like she's definitely lived a life worth talking about!
Wild Spotted Hyena Cub Sniffing My Car In Kruger National Park
This Very Very Smol Frog I Found In The Woods. He Was Very Polite
Was Lucky Enough To See This Little Guy This Morning. It's Quite Rare To See Them In The Wild
The Deer On My Mom's Property Had An Albino Baby
Leucistic, not albino. The baby has some pigment in its fur, and the eyes are pigmented. Thus, not an albino :)
Shoutout To The Raccoon I Found During Inventory At 3 Am In 2021, I Still Think About You
Found Some Baby Bunnies Next To My Office Today
Had To Break Up A Wild Party On My Back Porch Last Night
Sweet Baby In My Front Yard
Met This Little Guy While Out On A Hike Today. He Was Very Interested In The Can Of Sprite I Had In My Hand
So There’s A Fox In My Upstairs Bedroom. Not Entirely Sure How It Got In
There Is A Family Of Foxes Living Under My House
There are 5 babies and 1 mom, but I didn't have my phone with me when I first saw them and the others left by the time I grabbed it.
Fox On A Hay Bale
Saw This Baby On My Evening Walk
Just Living His Best Life Eating Croissant In Morrisons
Wild Ducklings Are Not So Wild When Food Is Involved
There’s A Coyote Outside My Friend’s House
The Day I Opened My Bedroom Window And Almost Passed Out Of A Cardiac Arrest
Found This Little Bugger Trying To Cross 5 Lanes Of Traffic All By Himself
Last Summer I Heard Something Rustle Underneath Me As I Studied On Our Outdoor Bench. It Was A Baby Deer
Cat Tales. Wild Baby Bobcat Visiting My Backyard Near Tucson
We've been hearing them a lot the last couple of nights (I'm in the same area). My dog is annoyed that we are keeping such a close eye on him while he is outside (he likes to roam around the yard at his own pace).
Encountered An Echidna
This Grumpy Hero Alerted Me About Its Family's Camouflaged Underground Den With 5 Siblings While Mowing Today
My boyfriend discovered a group tucked into a small divet while mowing. Unfortunately he injured one, came running to me for help. But by the time we got back outside the mother had moved them all. He is still upset by that.
Three Foxes Curled Up On The Roof Of A Shed
I Know It's Not A Cat Or A Dog, But Check Out This Bundle Of Cuteness I Met On My Hike
He’s Actually Real! Almost Stepped On Him While Hiking Yesterday
Me And This Deer Chilled For A Solid 15-20 Minutes. I Was So Close I Could’ve Reached Out And Touched Him. Bros For Life
Moose Calf Wants In
My Dad Just Sent Me This From His Dog Walk. Seems Foxes Are Getting Bolder
Wild Fox On A Boatyard
Saw An Albino Squirrel In The Woods The Other Day
Leucistic, not albino. Its eyes are pigmented, thus it's not an albino.
10/10 Cutest Mushroom I Saw While Foraging Today
This Fox I Encountered On My School's Campus While Going For A Walk Last Night
Barred Owl Visiting Our Back Deck One Morning
I Was Doing Dishes And Found This Smol Boi On A Bowl
I’ve Never Encountered A More Hungry Duck
Forgot My Scarf At A Park, Went Back And Found This Little Fella
Wild Bird Literally Landed On My Pants Today, We’re Friends Now
Baby Bunnies Found In The Backyard
A Moose Hanging Out On My Patio
I'm Sitting With A Snail In A Bar
You know I've got a feeling he'll take your relationship nice and slow
We Found A Muskrat Kit At Work Today. Got It Safely To The Wildlife Rescue
One Month Ago My Sister Found A Tiny Egg And Gave It To Me. I Put It In A Jar Not Expecting Anything. But Today It Hatched! I'm A Father
Found Bambi In Japan
Found This Little Guy In My Pool Skimmer Today (Does Anyone Know What Kind Of Turtle It Is?)
The Cute Encounter I Had Today
Woke Up To A Moose
Deer Came To Visit
Looks more like reindeer to me? But I'm no expert. Deer or not, I have never seen a fur coat like the young one has
Saw An Interesting Group Of Friends This Morning
Another Little Guy From A Hike In Colorado
Was Clearing Out An Overgrowth When I Encountered This Lil Guy
I Had My First Encounter With A Nutria Rat. Did Not Realize How Cute They Are In Real Life
I'm not sure I find it cute. Looks like it wants to chomp someone's ankle. :)
Wild Animals Commonly Visit My Boyfriend's Apartment Complex. This Is What He Discovered This Morning
Made A Friend On A Hike Today
Shared My Picnic Dinner Today
I Still Can't Believe They Eat Together Every Morning
Up in New Jersey, they're called groundhogs. Super friendly. But you can't approach them or they run away. But we put nuts and seeds out every day and the squirrels and groundhog get along fine. Plenty of food for everyone. Even the birds show up eventually.
I Had A Very Cooperative Model On My Hike Today
Met This Lizard Outside The City, Released It Safe And Sound
Wonderful, gorgeous, amazing. And sad. The foxes are beautiful, but here (Australia, ) they are an absolute curse. Amongst the most successful and devastating feral predators in the country, highly efficient at destroying native wildlife. Yet where they belong, such beautiful critters. Wouldn't it be lovely if humans didn't bvgger everything up all the time?
One night I heard a noise at my door. Told myself to ignore it cause I just be crazy. Heard the door again. Went to look and a raccoon was standing holding open the screen door like okay lady come on let me in my house! I'm so angry I didn't get a picture because it was the craziest thing I've ever seen.
I'm usually very independent. My husband was going to be traveling away from home for a few days, no big deal to me. Of course, the one time he is gone, about 10pm, there is banging and a racket at the front door, my heart is racing! I work up the courage to see who it is... A large raccoon climbing up the metal trellis trying to get on my roof! I banged hard on the door and yelled, which scared him down and back to his tree, took awhile to get to sleep after that though!
Load More Replies...Animals who are willing to "interact" with humans deserve the highest degrees of honor and respect.
my storytime!!!!!! so, when i was 12-13, the camp i went to was a gifted kid (trademarked) camp, so you could choose the courses you took. i took herpetology (study of reptiles and amphibians), because it seemed cool-it really was, awesome class, great teacher! on the last day, our group (the counselors walked us to our courses in groups) was walking to the science building, and suddenly, "HOLY SH*T!!! GUYS, I FOUND A LIZARD!!!!" Lo and behold, a lizard did, in fact, spawn in that area. after around 5 minutes of freaking out and trying to trap it, guess who was the lucky yoinker? me! i held the lizard as we walked to the classroom, and i... dropped it after it wriggled free. but! i picked it up and it was ok (thank god). the teacher told us it was a baby Italian Wall Climber (which are invasive to my state), and promised us he would raise it as a pet. so, that's my animal in the wild story. also, the many cats i've seen on the walking trails in my town, but they were probably outdoor.
Wonderful, gorgeous, amazing. And sad. The foxes are beautiful, but here (Australia, ) they are an absolute curse. Amongst the most successful and devastating feral predators in the country, highly efficient at destroying native wildlife. Yet where they belong, such beautiful critters. Wouldn't it be lovely if humans didn't bvgger everything up all the time?
One night I heard a noise at my door. Told myself to ignore it cause I just be crazy. Heard the door again. Went to look and a raccoon was standing holding open the screen door like okay lady come on let me in my house! I'm so angry I didn't get a picture because it was the craziest thing I've ever seen.
I'm usually very independent. My husband was going to be traveling away from home for a few days, no big deal to me. Of course, the one time he is gone, about 10pm, there is banging and a racket at the front door, my heart is racing! I work up the courage to see who it is... A large raccoon climbing up the metal trellis trying to get on my roof! I banged hard on the door and yelled, which scared him down and back to his tree, took awhile to get to sleep after that though!
Load More Replies...Animals who are willing to "interact" with humans deserve the highest degrees of honor and respect.
my storytime!!!!!! so, when i was 12-13, the camp i went to was a gifted kid (trademarked) camp, so you could choose the courses you took. i took herpetology (study of reptiles and amphibians), because it seemed cool-it really was, awesome class, great teacher! on the last day, our group (the counselors walked us to our courses in groups) was walking to the science building, and suddenly, "HOLY SH*T!!! GUYS, I FOUND A LIZARD!!!!" Lo and behold, a lizard did, in fact, spawn in that area. after around 5 minutes of freaking out and trying to trap it, guess who was the lucky yoinker? me! i held the lizard as we walked to the classroom, and i... dropped it after it wriggled free. but! i picked it up and it was ok (thank god). the teacher told us it was a baby Italian Wall Climber (which are invasive to my state), and promised us he would raise it as a pet. so, that's my animal in the wild story. also, the many cats i've seen on the walking trails in my town, but they were probably outdoor.