I just encountered a grey fox running across Broadway Road in Tempe (my second fox sighting with a mile radius in the past 6 months) and it got me thinking of all the wild animals I've had the fortune of seeing on my many years of adventures. The fox in Tempe is probably the most unusual for its urban location, but others are memorable too.
Reptiles:
Western Diamondback
Black Tailed
Arizona Black
Speckled
Prairie
Mojave
Rock
Tiger
Twin-spotted
AZ Mountain Kingsnake
Gopher
Desert Tortoise
Gila Monster
Birds: Too many to list (plus I have no idea what most of them are. These are notable though.) Bald Eagle
Golden Eagle
Great Horned Owl
Condor
Turkey
It makes me realize that there are only a few creatures in this state that I haven't seen but would like to. I think
Ocelot
Chupacabra
Grey Wolf
Jaguar
What have you seen, or what is still on your wish list?
Last edited by chumley on Apr 29 2021 1:31 pm, edited 3 times in total.
I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.
A contrapositive (I think that's the correct term here) from the fallacy is: If a non-expert said it, then it can't be true.
That is, only experts can opine about certain things. (Like, a non-attorney can't say that something is unconstitutional.)
But I, as a total backpacking newbie, can say, "Never hold your freeze dried meal in one hand while pouring boiling hot water into the pouch using the other hand. If you do, you might scald yourself." Even tho I'm not an expert backpacker, it's still valid advice.
So I'm willing to consider ideas no matter where they come from. So far I've been pretty good at finding the facts.
If I listened only to experts, I never would have taken Ivermectin when I had COVID.
SuperstitionGuy wrote:And yes I have been up there twice helping him build his three story log cabin.
Oh wow, I had not heard of this show. I'll check it out and admire your hard work. Btw, I've had bear and I know to cook long and at low temps. This gives time to order a pizza.
TooOld2HikeQ wrote:If a non-expert said it, then it can't be true.
I'm sorry if you misunderstood my query. Of course you can learn valuable lessons from non-experts. This does not reduce my personal curiosity specifically related to "William 180, 12k followers, send me money"
TooOld2HikeQ wrote:To each his own.
I couldn't agree more. Until I don't.
I'm not sure what my spirit animal is, but I'm confident it has rabies.
Very sad about the bear attack victim. Luckily one of the neighbors was properly equipped to deal with the bear before anyone else was injured.
Still doesn’t change my general lack of concern over black bears. Far more people in AZ are killed/sickened by bees and mosquitos every year than from bears, snakes, etc. Mitigate risk and carry on with your activities.
Not necessarily a sighting, but some good news. Quite the feat considering some of the semi-recent devastating wildfires that have surely impacted some of their habitat.
PHOENIX (AP) — More than 50 years since it was listed as endangered, Arizona's state fish is looking in much better shape.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced Friday a proposal to no longer classify the Apache trout as in need of federal protections under the Endangered Species Act.
Federal officials said the species is considered restored.
The Apache trout was first listed as endangered in 1967 because of degrading habitat, overexploitation, mining activity and other conflicts.
There are currently 30 verified self-sustaining populations of Apache trout in the wild, according to conservation group Defenders of Wildlife. The trout has reached this huge milestone through dedicated habitat management, the introduction of captive-bred fish and other efforts, the organization said.
The Endangered Species Act was established in 1973 and supporters are celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
Face-to-fang with an endangered Mexican wolf. One of the most iconic and reviled predators in the United States is having a moment. “In the last four to five years, the population has really started to take off and basically boom,” said Brady McGee, the Mexican wolf recovery coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
On my way out to the Blue Range Friday I saw a mountain lion cross the road, rather fast. While coming around a corner, I noticed a “side-by” coming toward me with his overhead lights on, we both dimmed at the same time and probably naturally decelerated due to the curve. As we were just about to pass each other, a mountain lion ran in front of both of us, barely missing both of us, or us barely missing it I should say.
We simultaneously backed up to each other and where the cat crossed the road and shared some stoked conversation about the sighting and the size of the cat. It was actually kind of nice to have the sighting with a complete stranger and to excitedly chat about it with him and his wife, and his yapping dogs. No pics of course.
I am up to five mountain lion sightings. Three of them on the 191 in the Blue Range, one while driving out to the Gila Wilderness and this fun sighting.
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