Animal Watching Tips and Places to Find Them

Most kids love animals and some of us have been fortunate enough to have lived surrounded by them in small towns, or rural areas, or have had the opportunity to go to a nearby forest or mountain a couple of times a month, like in my case. This gave me the opportunity to see many animals when I was a kid, and yet, I get excited every time I get close to an animal. It is a feeling that never goes away.

As exciting as it is, getting close to wild animals can be dangerous. Even animals that seem too small or too cute can hurt you badly. Recently a college student in China wanted to hug a Panda. The student climbed and went into the panda's cage to give him a hug, but the panda attacked him. He said the panda looked so cute that he couldn't resist hugging him. Luckily he made it alive, but required surgery to close his wounds; that's a lesson learnt the hard way.

One warning sign you can spot when approaching or looking at a wild animal is its body language. If the animal you are watching stares at you instead of running and its sight seem defying, chances are you are pissing it off and it might attack. This applies to all kinds of animals, from small cats to elephants. Also look at the animal's behavior. Before they attack, the usually try to persuade you to leave by doing a fake charge, producing sounds or acting intimidating, and if you don't leave the next step is the attack.

Now you are warned about the dangers. If you still want to see more animals next time you go to the wild, there are several ways in which you can increase your chances. One way is to go out early in the morning, preferably before sunrise, and look for bedding areas. Bedding areas is where animals sleep or rest, and they are characterized by being enclosed or having a thick cover. Animals feel safer in places with less exposure, so you can survey those areas and watch the animals living in them.

Other places that can produce good results are feeding and water areas. All animals need food and water to survive, so lakes, rivers or ponds are a good place to devise them. Depending on the diet of the animal you want to see is the place you want to go; this could be crop fields, frugal trees, or green pastures.

Keep this advice in mind and your next trip to the wilderness will produce more and safer encounters with animals. Remember to respect them and to step back if you think the animal is feeling threatened.