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.
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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.
#1 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.
Image credits: 1300Koalaz
#2 Just A Friendly Local I Met On A Hike Yesterday (Portugal)
Image credits: Oztravels
#3 Owls Born Outside Of Office Windows Won’t Stop Staring At Workers Inside
Image credits: mc_lens
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.
#4 Let’s Pet The Cute Wild Bobcat Kittens, When You See It
Image credits: NotSure2505
#5 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.
Image credits: Officer_Internets
#6 The Possum That Visits Our Deck Every Evening Brought Along Somebody Special Last Night! Meet Deckster And Backster
Image credits: strongredcordial
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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.
#7 Fox Sleeping On Skylight
Image credits: 1in7billion_
#8 Found Him Wandering Next To My House
Image credits: Scarface11W
#9 I Went To The Amazon And Found My Long-Lost Brother
Image credits: HoboMoo
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.
#10 This Fella Walked 3 Km From The Beach To A Wheat Farm And Got Lost
Image credits: RhettBurnie
#11 Deer Family Came To Visit
Image credits: MRairden
#12 Baby Foxes Showed Up To Say Hi At My Grandmother’s House
Image credits: Vechrotex
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.
#13 A Rescued Baby Beaver
Image credits: 30_e
#14 I Held A Wild Cardinal Today, And Managed To Even Take Pictures With It
Image credits: ObamaLovesKetamine
#15 Wild Boar Taking A Nap After A Meal
Image credits: david_rudnick
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!
#16 Norwegian Elk Having Fun
Image credits: NOnotinthere
#17 A Cheeky Little Visitor Is Affectionately Known As “Bill The Possum” Popped In To Say Hello To Our Mechatronics Students In The ES Building
Image credits: DarthTheJediv
#18 Found This Absolute Unit, Named Him Jimmy Thunderthighs
Image credits: buffywoolf
#19 This Chipmunk Looking Up At My Girlfriend On Top Of Eagle Cap Summit, 9570 Ft
Image credits: EngineeringExplained
#20 Owl Landed On My Friend’s Head At A Luke Bryan Concert
Image credits: eldiablo11
#21 An Owl Fell Down The Chimney
Image credits: mike_pants
#22 Just A Little Guy
Image credits: Zayyded
#23 This Newborn Fawn Left By Its Mother Next To My Wife’s Freshly Bloomed Peonies
Image credits: TheClandestineMason
#24 Found This Fox Chilling In The Backyard
Image credits: ltc_ir1
#25 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.
Image credits: ScaredOfTheMan
#26 Moose Visiting My Dad’s Garden
Image credits: DudeHeadAwesome
#27 Gifted A Bonsai Tree, Found An Egg Near The Trunk – This Little One Hatched From It Today
Image credits: krohner5
#28 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
Image credits: Ivyonahill
#29 Woke Up This Morning And Went To The Kitchen To Find A Baby Owl
Image credits: cbadtron
#30 This Sad Raccoon At My Back Door At 2:00 Am, He Was Looking For My Cat Who Wasn’t Home
Image credits: FeeValuable22
#31 Found This Little Guy At Work Today
Wasn’t safe where I found him, so I let him go outside of the job.
Image credits: Boyinthecorn
#32 A Nice Wren Couple Moved Into A Hiking Boot In My Parents’ Garage, And Today Their Family Grew By 5
Image credits: sarahaflijk
#33 My Daughter Met A Fox Today
Image credits: northernCan81
#34 Found This Little Guy Hiding In My Daughter’s Shirt
Image credits: Lonobot
#35 This Wild Magpie And I Have Become Good Friends
Image credits: beckymooings
#36 Woke Up This Morning And Found An Owl On Our Washing Machine (India)
Image credits: yashwinusa123
#37 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.
Image credits: Doustin
#38 Went For A Walk Today And My Dog Found A Baby Bird
Image credits: 12bore1992
#39 Found A Baby Possum. Took It To A Wildlife Rehabilitator. She Sent Me This Picture After She Cleaned Him Up
Image credits: dasuberkaty
#40 Ran Into This Little Guy While Hiking In The Swiss Alps
Image credits: benjbob111
#41 My Dad Lives Alone In The Australian Bush And Cares For A Family Of Wild Kangaroos, Today He Sent Me This Photo
Image credits: EBhobo
#42 Got A Gift From My Crow Friends
Image credits: cutelyaware
#43 Hummingbird Family Made A Nest In A Pair Of Hanging Pool Goggles
Image credits: reddit.com
#44 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
Image credits: Senaka11
#45 We Have A Fox That Comes To Eat And He Gets On With Our Cat
Image credits: CaptainJDanzer
#46 My Neighbors Found This Young Kestrel And Called Him Geralt. Birds Of Prey Can Be Adorable Too
Image credits: HungryMalloc
#47 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.
Image credits: Kh0nsuu
#48 Look At This Cute Puppy We Found In The Corn Field
Image credits: midnightsun183
#49 Cat Tales. Wild Baby Bobcat Visiting My Backyard Near Tucson
Image credits: -Bending-Unit-22
#50 Shoutout To The Raccoon I Found During Inventory At 3 Am In 2021, I Still Think About You
Image credits: diabloivoryson
#51 Saw This Beauty Yesterday
Image credits: jarvo30
#52 Momma Deer That Lives On Our Property Came And Showed Us Her Baby
Image credits: NotAFridge
#53 Wild Boar Chilling With Humans
Image credits: YungSoo
#54 Found On A Walk Snapped A Pic And Moved On
Image credits: sloppydog14
#55 This Curious Stoat Kept Popping Up Next To Me As I Was Relaxing At The Top Of My Hike Today
Image credits: simfire
#56 This Wild Goose Flew In And Became Friends With My Grandma’s Farm Goose. He Hasn’t Left In Over A Year
Image credits: Kallikana
#57 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
Image credits: ThePharmachinist
#58 Moose Calf Wants In
Image credits: Learnorstayignorant
#59 So There’s A Fox In My Upstairs Bedroom. Not Entirely Sure How It Got In
Image credits: kurtis_f
#60 Found This Guy Under My Car This Morning. Spent About 10 Minutes Hand-Feeding Him Carrots And Broccoli
Image credits: rcarter95
#61 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.
Image credits: isabellalopez
#62 Found In Backyard: A Rare And Endangered Peregrine Falcon—the Fastest Bird On The Continent (The Wildlife Commission Reunited Him With His Family)
Image credits: Intrepid_Nothing9561
#63 Found This And Thought You All Might Like It. Trash Panda
Image credits: scareghost89
#64 So I’ve Been Feeding The Squirrels Lately And This Is What I Saw At My Door When I Woke Up
Image credits: milkthe
#65 I Know It’s Not A Cat Or A Dog, But Check Out This Bundle Of Cuteness I Met On My Hike
Image credits: poolrbear
#66 Found This Guy In The Galápagos
She was closeby – this little pup was just curious about the hoomans.
Image credits: scienceofsin
#67 Met This Pretty Lady On My Walk Today
Image credits: tallguydenver
#68 I Managed To Befriend A Wild Crow, Here’s Maddie
Image credits: SN74HC04
#69 Had To Break Up A Wild Party On My Back Porch Last Night
Image credits: ZonaiSwirls
#70 A Kookaburra Flew Down And Sat On My Son’s Knee While He Was Eating Lunch Outside. Clearly Used To Being Fed By Humans
Image credits: PopularExercise3
#71 A Squirrel Ran Into The Store I Work At, And Stole A Chocolate Bar
Image credits: Jimbobler
#72 My Friend Took A Bunch Of Pics Of This Pair Of Fawns And Never Saw Their Mom Until He Looked Through Pictures Later
Image credits: pbcbmf
#73 Friendly Fox Has A Present For You
Image credits: pizdobol
#74 The Day I Opened My Bedroom Window And Almost Passed Out Of A Cardiac Arrest
Image credits: lourdes_Ar
#75 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.
Image credits: randomuser135443
#76 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.
Image credits: -Z-3-R-0-
#77 There’s A Coyote Outside My Friend’s House
Image credits: jols0543
#78 Found This Little Girl When I Was Cutting The Grass Today
Image credits: gmrpnk21
#79 This Little Guy Was Sitting Patiently On My Shoe When I Took A Break From Hiking In Colorado
Image credits: slamdanceswithwolves
#80 Wild Spotted Hyena Cub Sniffing My Car In Kruger National Park
Image credits: PodocarpusT
#81 A Mama Deer In Our Neighborhood Regularly Leaves Her Fawns On Our Front Porch For Babysitting While She’s Busy
Image credits: lady_forsythe
#82 My Coworker Rescued This Wild Parrot From A Cat A Few Days Ago. Their Newfound Friendship Made My Week
Image credits: bogbunzhun
#83 A Moose Hanging Out On My Patio
Image credits: Bshillz
#84 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
Image credits: kilowhisky
#85 I Don’t Even Own A Fox
Image credits: RosieEmily
#86 Fox On A Hay Bale
Image credits: madethisjustforpewds
#87 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.
Image credits: Business-is-Boomin
#88 Saw This Little Cutie On Our Sunday Hike
Image credits: Dufusbroth
#89 A Fawn I Saw “Hiding” In Plain Sight. He Thinks He’s Totally Invisible
Image credits: SomeoneNamedTom
#90 Hiking Along The Trinity River In DFW, Met This Little Guy
Image credits: Dsilkotch
#91 Found Some Baby Bunnies Next To My Office Today
Image credits: reddit.com
#92 Wild Ducklings Are Not So Wild When Food Is Involved
Image credits: RoscoeMaibaum
#93 Roxy, Our Gray Fox Finally Posed For A Picture. And Yes, She’s Wild
Image credits: Nash_Holt
#94 Friend Found A Baby Raccoon In Their Garage, They’re In Contact With The Local Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Just A Cutie
Image credits: bL1Nd
#95 This Grumpy Hero Alerted Me About Its Family’s Camouflaged Underground Den With 5 Siblings While Mowing Today
Image credits: MuchoLumens
#96 Was Kayaking With My Family In Florida And We Saw A Manatee
Image credits: aRandomGril
#97 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
Image credits: stridge28
#98 Saw An Albino Squirrel In The Woods The Other Day
Image credits: lilwild99
#99 There’s A Wild Piggie And Chiwawa Crew Terrorizing My Mom’s Neighborhood
Image credits: x_xStay_Uglyx_x
#100 I’ve Never Encountered A More Hungry Duck
Image credits: immuzy
#101 Woke Up To A Moose
Image credits: chancy22
#102 Deer Came To Visit
Image credits: darkwaren
#103 I’m Sitting With A Snail In A Bar
Image credits: Exciting-Ad-1297
#104 Forgot My Scarf At A Park, Went Back And Found This Little Fella
Image credits: Electronic-Hotel-914
#105 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
Image credits: nubpwner920
#106 Three Babies Exploring In My Backyard
Image credits: CoreyYAAS
#107 This Fox I Encountered On My School’s Campus While Going For A Walk Last Night
Image credits: myroommateisgarbage
#108 Just Living His Best Life Eating Croissant In Morrisons
Image credits: chipsnsparkles
#109 Three Foxes Curled Up On The Roof Of A Shed
Image credits: ElegantBob
#110 Barred Owl Visiting Our Back Deck One Morning
Image credits: johnnycolemanart
#111 The Deer On My Mom’s Property Had An Albino Baby
Image credits: Wallowingavacado
#112 Sweet Baby In My Front Yard
Image credits: reddit.com
#113 He’s Actually Real! Almost Stepped On Him While Hiking Yesterday
Image credits: FknHannahFalcon
#114 Found This Little Bugger Trying To Cross 5 Lanes Of Traffic All By Himself
Image credits: dwc1981
#115 Found Bambi In Japan
Image credits: meow_meow3
#116 Wild Fox On A Boatyard
Image credits: Ranin20
#117 Last Summer I Heard Something Rustle Underneath Me As I Studied On Our Outdoor Bench. It Was A Baby Deer
Image credits: rapcatmix
#118 Saw An Interesting Group Of Friends This Morning
Image credits: ShinNakashima
#119 Another Little Guy From A Hike In Colorado
Image credits: fatcheeks
#120 Saw This Baby On My Evening Walk
Image credits: dearthofkindness
#121 Was Lucky Enough To See This Little Guy This Morning. It’s Quite Rare To See Them In The Wild
Image credits: mortoson
#122 Encountered An Echidna
Image credits: cBobT1
#123 I Had My First Encounter With A Nutria Rat. Did Not Realize How Cute They Are In Real Life
Image credits: theWildBore
#124 The Cute Encounter I Had Today
Image credits: ines7cgm
#125 My Dad Just Sent Me This From His Dog Walk. Seems Foxes Are Getting Bolder
Image credits: greengoeskiwi
#126 Found This Little Guy In My Pool Skimmer Today (Does Anyone Know What Kind Of Turtle It Is?)
Image credits: blanketyak
#127 We Found A Muskrat Kit At Work Today. Got It Safely To The Wildlife Rescue
Image credits: The_Real_Token_Ojay
#128 Wild Bird Literally Landed On My Pants Today, We’re Friends Now
Image credits: MinishChap
#129 Wild Animals Commonly Visit My Boyfriend’s Apartment Complex. This Is What He Discovered This Morning
Image credits: johnnydisco
#130 Met This Little Guy While Out On A Hike Today. He Was Very Interested In The Can Of Sprite I Had In My Hand
Image credits: DancingLampy
#131 Baby Bunnies Found In The Backyard
Image credits: theothergotsuspended
#132 This Very Very Smol Frog I Found In The Woods. He Was Very Polite
Image credits: R1ght_b3hind_U
#133 10/10 Cutest Mushroom I Saw While Foraging Today
Image credits: gingorama
#134 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.
Image credits: 0aabce
#135 Met This Lizard Outside The City, Released It Safe And Sound
Image credits: Ynaten
#136 I Was Doing Dishes And Found This Smol Boi On A Bowl
Image credits: lynkcrafter
#137 Shared My Picnic Dinner Today
Image credits: billnyethewiseguy
#138 Made A Friend On A Hike Today
Image credits: Allcloud07
#139 I Had A Very Cooperative Model On My Hike Today
Image credits: Boiled_Denim
#140 Was Clearing Out An Overgrowth When I Encountered This Lil Guy
Image credits: Lolihumper
#141 Wild Chipmunk On My Knee
Image credits: gephronon
Source: boredpanda.com