Like any other country, America too is blessed with excellent flora and fauna. In fact, America is home to many endemic species that are not found anywhere else. In this segment, we are going to highlight and explain some animal species you will only find in the United States.
Is it not wise and worthwhile hence to invest some time to learn about it? We respond to this call voluntarily. As a way of achieving this, we have researched and are going to showcase 10 animal fun facts you have probably never heard about in the United States.
#1: Bald Eagle
Grab an American passport, and you will see a bald eagle. This powerful raptor has indeed long symbolized the United States, and for good enough reason. It is found only in the United States and, as such, deserves to be used to symbolize the entire nation.
Though called bald, it is strictly speaking not bald. Rather, its ‘baldness’ stems from the snow-colored feathers that adorn its head region. It nests on the sea coasts, near rivers and lakes. Its adult size comes to about 6-7 feet of wingspan, whereas it weighs around 13.9 pounds. For more great animal fun facts check this out. You will find there are 50 animal fun facts that you will enjoy reading.
#2: American Bison
At the height of about 6 feet, the American Bison is by far the largest mammal in the whole of North America. The most notable feature of this animal is the towering shoulder hump. The entire body is nonetheless draped in a dark brown coat that is thick and impervious.
Owing to the many leading benefits that the mammal can potentially bring forth, it has been on the radar of many hunters and poachers. As such, its numbers have dwindled over the years. At present, the animal is the subject of numerous federal protections of endangered species.
#3: American Alligator
The American Alligator is the closest relative of the African crocodile. It is a large reptile that is found in numerous water bodies in the Southwestern United States, such as lakes, swamps, and freshwater rivers. You will find them in abundance in the US State of Florida due to its subtropical climate.
When fully grown, it comes to about 11.2 feet, weighs around 992 pounds, and possesses roughly 75-80 teeth. They also possess rounded snouts, long flat tails, and shorter legs. It feeds on birds, turtles, mammals, and fishes of all kinds. Please, exercise some caution as you get close to the animal due to its ferocious nature!
#4: Pronghorn
You need not travel to Africa to behold an Antelope. Not when you have an American version right next to your doorstep. Its face and stature resemble those of the African antelope. Surprisingly, this animal does not belong to the Antelope family. It nonetheless also resides in open grasslands and plains.
A typical adult Pronghorn weighs 119 pounds and measures around 2.6-3.28 feet. Its body is reddish-brown in color, and the males also have a black mask and curved horn. The horns of its females are straight and tend to be shorter than those of its males.
#5: Groundhog
The Groundhog, as its name implies, is a burrowing animal. It, in fact, is the largest member of the squirrel family in the United States. It is renowned for digging complex burrows that may at times get to 6 feet deep. These burrows are oftentimes several layers.
Its body is covered with brown fur. The legs are shorter, whereas the tail is somewhat longer. Lastly, its claws are curved to make them adaptable for digging burrows. These animals feed on the bark of trees, fruits, and several plants.
#6: American Black Bear
Most bears are generally huge, ferocious, and ghastly. However, the United States has a bear that is smaller and docile. The American Black Bear, it is! Despite it being called black, this animal does come in numerous other color options as well. It feeds on both plants and animals 876889alike.
#7: Gila Monster
“Gila Monster” is not a monster per se. Instead, it is a very large land lizard that measures 20 inches long and weighs roughly 4 pounds. Unlike your ordinary lizard, this is venomous and may hence never be joked around with. You will find it abundantly in the arid and semi-arid areas of Southwestern United States.
Its body bears scales that are beadlike and are yellow, black, or pink in color. It contains a broad head and some rounded black eyes. Even though its bites are extremely painful, it nonetheless not really fatal to humans.
#8: Black-footed Ferret
This is North America’s only native ferret species. It was once nearly extinct but was reintroduced via some captive breeding programs. Its population is still small and is largely considered an endangered species. It largely inhabits the plains and the mountainous regions of the South Western United States.
A typical Black-footed Ferret has a long and slender body that grows to 24 inches. When fully grown, it weighs roughly 2.5 pounds. This species spends a huge chunk of its time burrowing. It is also nocturnal, meaning that it is active at night and docile during the day.
#9: Luna Moth
Luna Moth is not your ordinary troublesome moth. Instead, it is a colorful, spectacular, and truly beautiful moth to behold. It inhabits the wooded vegetation of North America and grows very large. Its wingspan, when it is fully grown, comes to about 4.5 inches.
Contributing to its beauty are the beautiful eyespots that adorn the fore and the hind wings. A long green tail wraps up the sum total beauty spots of the insect. This tail stands conspicuously and contributes towards the great traits that make the insect stand out from the others that be.
#10: Hawaiian Monk Seal
Wrapping up the list of the animals that are endemic to the United States is this Hawaiian Monk Seal. It is also one of the most endangered in the world, with only 1,100 of its members still alive at the moment. As its name implies, it is restricted to the Hawaiian Islands alone.
This animal spends a huge chunk of its time in seawater. Occasionally, it drifts ashore to the beaches. One striking thing about this animal is the fact that it does dive deeper in search of food. By some estimates, it gets to depths of about 300 meters below sea level.
That is it. We hope you loved these American animal fun facts.
