How much do you know about America’s weird and wonderful wildlife?
American crocodiles are …
A. Actually alligators.
B. An urban legend.
C. Found in South Florida.
D. Only in South America.
Which wildflower brightens the Antelope Valley each Spring?
A. California poppy, Dorothy.
B. Rhododendron.
C. Wild geranium.
D. Dandelions!
The largest fish in North America is …
A. The alligator gar.
B. The white sturgeon.
C. The paddlefish.
D. The catfish, is somehow always a catfish.
Which of the following animals are native to the Americas …
A. Boar.
B. Mustangs.
C. Alpacas.
D. Pythons.
You can still see large free-ranging herds of American bison.
A. True.
B. False.
What attracts birdwatchers to Magee Marsh, Ohio in May?
A. Predatory birds, like eagles and falcons.
B. Over 150 species of songbirds.
C. The Biggest Week in American Birding festival.
D. All of the above
Which exotic cat are you more likely to spot in Texas?
A. Jaguarundi.
B. Ocelot.
Answers
- Answer: C. While American crocodiles are not as common in the U.S. as their alligator cousins (they’re less resistant to cold), South Florida and the Keys are at the northern edge of their range, which also dips through Cuba, Mexico, and South America.
- Answer: A. So glad you didn’t say dandelions. From mid-March to May, the orange blooms of California poppy unfold across the landscape. But Antelope Valley is just one of many wildflower hotspots in California.
- Answer: B. White sturgeon get stupid big. How big is stupid big, you ask? Up to 20 feet long and weighing over 1,300 pounds. So, you may need a bigger RV
- Answer: C. You can thank Hernando de Soto and his band of goldcrazed marauders for adding feral pigs and horses to the North American landscape. Pythons are more recent imports (from pet owners). But alpacas? Their all- (South)-American, baby! See them up close at a Harves.
- Answer: A. Few beasts are more American than the bison. (And few activities are more American than ranging free.) The largest population is found at Yellowstone National Park—well within RV range.
- Answer: D. The Biggest Week in Birdwatching has it all. Flocks of international experts. Songbirds by the thousands. A wonderful variety of warblers (at least 36). If you pull up from May 5–14, make no mistake: You’re gonna see birds. Lots of ‘em.
- Answer: B. Jaguarundi sightings in the U.S. are almost controversial now (though lots of folks claim to see them), but ocelots are certainly still in the wild (about 100). You can improve your sighting odds at the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville, Texas where a new ocelot exhibit opens this spring!
