# What's the rarest or most unusual animal you've seen? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 28, 2016, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650 "2016-06-28T22:14:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2016, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/101 "2016-07-03T06:56:08Z")
In Aus, I’ve seen plenty of 'roos, echidnas, koalas and wombats. But only ONCE have I ever spied an [antechinus](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antechinus) in the wild. Granted, it was pretty sick and probably on its last legs (no pun intended). We were driving down a rough country road when one of my kids YELLED that he’d spotted it! Of course, I thought it was just a common mouse at first… To be able to actually SEE one in its natural habitat was tres cool. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/102 "2016-07-04T05:32:37Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Upon further consideration, our runner-up critter would be **Desert Pupfish**. We’ve snorkeled in a particular spring-pool which has them (and have some underwater photos). Never mind where, it’s below the radar, and better off for it. Ran into a uniformed BLM guy there once, who confirmed the species. Also told us about the location being deliberately kept quiet. Although now that I think about it, this was in the late 1980’s. God knows what the site is like now. > [@Enginerd](#): > > I’ve worked with pupfish in Nevada and Death Valley for the better part of the last decade, looking at the interactions between climate change, groundwater management, and the ecosystems that the fishes occupy. Devils Hole pupfish would be the rarest species I’ve seen in the wild, with an unfortunately close second a tie between warm springs pupfish and Shoshone pupfish (thought be extinct until they were rediscovered in the mid-late '80s). > > There are a couple of publicly accessible places to see pupfish, although not Desert pupfish. You can see Death Valley pupfish from the boardwalk at Salt Creek in Death Valley National Park, and Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge has a relatively new boardwalk/trail at Point of Rocks spring that takes you to the springhead where you can see Amargosa pupfish. > [@Enginerd](#): > > Missed the edit window: You can’t swim with them, though. Don’t know any place where you can. > [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > I’ve PM’d details to you. Please look into it, and tell me what you find. If they’re not Desert Pupfish, I’d like to know what (sub)? species they are. I’m respectfully serious, and curious. Ignorance Fought. I’ve leaned that “Desert Pupfish” is a distinct species of Pupfish; the population I’ve observed (as described in my first post) were in fact a different species of Pupfish. Same genus, rare, and endangered. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/103 "2016-07-04T07:21:26Z")
Not sure what counts here, I’ve been lucky enough to see things like whale sharks and sunfish in the wild. Probably the most unusual would have been the Namaqualand Rainfrog (before they [went viral](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBkWhkAZ9ds)). Probably the _rarest_ would be the T[able Mountain ghost frog](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose%27s_ghost_frog) or the [Cape micro fro](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micro_frog)g. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2016, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/104 "2016-07-04T19:04:08Z")
When I was a kid, I found a [tile-horned prionus](https://www.google.com/search?q=tile+horned+prionus&rlz=1C5MACD_enUS535US535&espv=2&biw=1680&bih=928&tbm=isch&imgil=elN-1UqVAO1P_M%253A%253BghpN2JD5iozUtM%253Bhttps%25253A%25252F%25252Finsectsofdejarnettepark.wordpress.com%25252F2012%25252F07%25252F12%25252Ftile-horned-prionus-prionus-imbricornis-drury-cerambycidae%25252F&source=iu&pf=m&fir=elN-1UqVAO1P_M%253A%252CghpN2JD5iozUtM%252C_&usg=__wGydLJjTg96ogffSZ4NGfuOWWfo%3D&ved=0ahUKEwjrtaG2v9rNAhULzGMKHS8eDTQQyjcINw&ei=ibJ6V6vNNYuYjwOvvLSgAw#imgrc=oNEn8Trzm6MncM%3A). Had never seen one before, haven’t seen one since. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2016, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/105 "2016-07-06T03:38:33Z")
If rare = endangered, my favorite beach is actually a wild life refuge dedicated to protect piping plovers, so I’ve seen them bunches of times. If we mean things we’ve only seen once or twice in the wild despite their globally non-threatened populations: indigo bunting, ermine, golden eagle (I’ve seen conflicting info about its status), scarlet tanager. I’ve only seen our state bird - the purple martin - once. I have lived in New Hampshire for 2/3rds of my life and I’ve never seen a live moose. I’ve only seen bears a couple of times too. And I’m unsure if I’ve ever seen an american three‐toed woodpecker - they are threatened status here, and the females look a lot like one of our more plentiful woodpeckers. I’m certain I’ve never seen a male as the yellow feathers would be a dead giveaway. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/106 "2016-07-07T01:06:14Z")
The little fish that only live in the “Devils Hole National Monument” Since I have no picture, the 4 winged duck can be disbelieved at will. ---
**Author:** ![scr4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/59ef9b/32.png) [@scr4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scr4)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2016, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/107 "2016-07-07T01:43:33Z")
I’ve seen a pair of [Oryx](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oryx) in New Mexico, just outside White Sands Missile Range. They are not native but they are wild - they were introduced to the are by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish in the 70s for people to hunt. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/108 "2016-07-08T00:22:24Z")
Way cool. If a fella did not know that they were brought in and wakes up after a drinking night, he could get a bit cornfused if one of those wanders through camp. ---
**Author:** ![OffByOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/45deac/32.png) [@OffByOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OffByOne)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/109 "2016-07-08T16:17:13Z")
One job I had, my cube was next to a window that overlooked the back of the property the building was on. The property backed up to a creek with a small wild(ish) area (trees, undergrowth, etc.). One morning, I looked out the window to see a bobcat strolling the lawn that abutted the creek/woods. While bobcats are not what I would call “unusual,” it was certainly unusual to see one in an area that I considered “city.” ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/110 "2016-07-08T17:06:23Z")
> [@OffByOne](#): > > One job I had, my cube was next to a window that overlooked the back of the property the building was on. The property backed up to a creek with a small wild(ish) area (trees, undergrowth, etc.). > > One morning, I looked out the window to see a bobcat strolling the lawn that abutted the creek/woods. While bobcats are not what I would call “unusual,” it was certainly unusual to see one in an area that I considered “city.” I would say that “unusual” is defined by something you don’t normally see. Elk in Rocky Mountain National Park are common as grass, but I haven’t seen them elsewhere. I’ve never seen a bobcat in the wild, so that would certainly be unusual for me, and I suspect for most people. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/111 "2016-07-08T17:13:30Z")
The other night I saw a fox run out from Camp Randall (the Badgers football stadium) and then turn around and run back in. Fox – not so unusual. One living in a football stadium downtown – pretty fucking unusual. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/112 "2016-07-08T17:19:34Z")
Nothing all that rare, but for unusual, my top sighting is a Roseate Spoonbill, which I saw on a swamp tour in Louisiana last summer. Also, egrets, I saw a few… ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2016, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/113 "2016-07-08T17:36:42Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Also, egrets, I saw a few… But then again, too few to mention. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/117 "2017-12-22T00:32:11Z")
> [@eschereal](#): > > Not really sure. We were crossing the pass at around 3am in September – the pass is about 5500ft, a two lane road that sweeps around a lake and twists along the mountainside – when we came around a coiner and there was this critter lounging in the road. We said “ARGH!” it said “Yikes!” and it made its way to the trees. > > It was about 2~3’ in body length, shaggy, curly brown fur on its rather long forelimbs, a medium or short snout, and I seem to remember hairy round standing ears. Near as I can guess, it was an ewatch. you saw [this?](http://www.ewatches.com/) Cool! ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/118 "2017-12-22T00:36:07Z")
The rarest thing I’ve seen recently was a bluebird. First one I’ve ever seen in my neighborhood in forty years. That made me happy a couple days ago. I’ve seen lotsa wildlife but none of it was rare for the locale. Including our neighborhood cougar. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/119 "2017-12-22T01:24:25Z")
Rarest local animal I ever saw was a [Tiger Salamander](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiger_salamander). Before seeing it I had no idea any salamanders even lived around here. It was a cool, rainy autumn night and it was outside the front door in some wet leaves. I’ve never even heard anyone around here mention seeing one. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/120 "2017-12-22T01:34:32Z")
Rarest local animal I’ve seen was a California Giant Salamander, long ago on a rainy hike in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Not only was this creature maybe 10 - 11" long, but it was in the middle of eating a California Banana Slug (which are common here) nearly as large as that. A red letter day, that was. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/121 "2017-12-22T02:23:21Z")
I just came back from a trip where I saw about a dozen [Channel Island Fox](https://www.nps.gov/chis/learn/nature/island-fox.htm), on Santa Cruz Island. Each island has its own subspecies. ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/122 "2017-12-22T02:45:33Z")
> [@romansperson](#): > > I just came back from a trip where I saw about a dozen [Channel Island Fox](https://www.nps.gov/chis/learn/nature/island-fox.htm), on Santa Cruz Island. Each island has its own subspecies. A fox is so fun to watch… Glad you saw it. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2017, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650/123 "2017-12-22T03:33:42Z")
Mountain lion, on the trail just 20 yards in front of me while hiking in the hills not far from my home. They aren’t terribly rare, but not many people have seen one in the wild. It took me over a month to hike those trails without looking over my shoulders from time to time (I hike there a few times a week). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-rarest-or-most-unusual-animal-youve-seen/758650.md?page=7)