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.

#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

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