The Most Impressive Animals You Have Seen

[scherbchen]

Preemptive and arbitrary rule: please do not name pets you own

For me it has to be a pack of Wild Dogs (that is the name of the species, these are not feral domestized dogs) we witnessed hunting on a trip to Africa about 8 years ago. Not only was I impressed by the sheer ability to quickly take down prey, their socializing (they take care of their sick for example) and the "voices" they constantly use which is unlike any other sound I ever heard a dog make... but these beasties stripped an Impala, I think that´s what it was, bare to the bone in what seemed like 30 seconds.

Lions and Cheetahs and all the other felines might be more impressive as far as looks and stature go but these canines were damn impressive and effective predators. If I had to choose a manner of death by an animal of my choosing I´d go for these.

*braces for inevitable pictures of icky spiders*

 

[h4ppy]

I've seen quite a few moose out west, lovely creatures, really. Either that or hippos in zoos.

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

We ran into a bear and her cubs while mountain biking in the rockies. We were slogging it uphill, getting pretty tired, when we look ahead and there they were standing up. It scared the living crap outta me for a few seconds, but then they slunk away to the side. They were too far away to see if they were grizzlies or just really brown "black" bears.

Really cool though. So tall.

 

[ravensfire]

I might be biased, being from St. Louis ...

The Clydesdale horse. Size, power, grace and a majestic look to them. Watching them play on the fields, and seeing them up close is just incredible.

-- Ravensfire

 

[The Yankee]

A Takin

Spoiler :

Jesus that picture was big. Spoiler tags for you.

Saw a few at the Minnesota Zoo last year.

I'm not really in places where I'd see many animals out of captivity, though. But the pigeons living in New York can be impressive. Well, if you don't have a car.

 

[Sims2789]

Orcas and polar bears are impressive. Polar bears occasionally take out walruses.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ob_oD1IsYbE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JR-7lOciKl8

And Orcas occasionally beach themselves to eat things on the beach. If there's some seals resting, they'll surface, blow, and scare the seals into the water. The seals panic and they're not very mobile on land so they dive into the water and the waiting Orca gets to eat! Some even learn to spit up food to lure birds and then they eat the birds.

 

[Irish Caesar]

Well, impressive was probably the moose I saw out in the middle of nowhere drinking in the lake I was canoeing in.

Although three points also to the bald eagles flying around the aforementioned lakes and a rattlesnake... just for the coolness factor of a rattlesnake that was a bit too close to my ankles for comfort.

 

[Sims2789]

Out of animals I've seen, I'd have to say my adorable dog she's cute and fuzzy.

 

[aaglo]

~300 kg Moose:

 

[Theige]

Elephants, the real kings of the African plains

 

[Stevenpfo]

Not counting the zoo, the most impressive and cool animals i've seen are: Lotsa bears and moose. Elk. Camels. Buffalo.

On my vacation this summer I hope to see whales, bald eagles and who knows what else. There are supposed to be some animals that are only native to the islands i'm going too so it should be interesting.

 

[Gilder]

Double post.

 

[Gilder]

 

[jessiecat]

Once hiking in the Cairngorms mts. in Scotland, we pitched camp on the side of a mountain about 1000 ft. above the valley below. Just admiring the sunset over the mountains across the valley, when two golden eagles glided in front of us about 100 metres away and slowly circled, looking for prey. Over 7 ft. wingspan and completely serene and awesome to watch.

 

[Pendragon65]

I have been around a bit but for me swimming fairly close to a Basking Shark of the Cornish coast. I have seen a few they are always amazing. Close Second Penguins not on the Cornish coast i might add.

 

[Cannae]

 

[Miles Teg]

Extinct creature? No fair!

 

[Cannae]

Extinct creature? No fair!

Two of the creatures I have posted are extinct. To be honest I haven't technically have seen these, but there are portrayals of these creatures that we are able to see today.

 

[Cutlass]

 

[Desmond Hawkins]

~300 kg Moose:

Moose are apparently very dangerous to hit with your car because they are so tall that the car just takes the legs out from underneath them. The bulk of the body comes rolling towards the windshield very easily.