| While a zoo definitely has it's place in | | | | species of mammals and more than 400 species |
| animal watching, it doesn't compare to seeing | | | | of birds. There are no roads into the park, |
| animals in their own natural habitat. After a | | | | only hiking trails. Unless you are an avid |
| recent visit to Yellowstone National Park, | | | | hiker and have excellent map-reading skills, |
| this felt especially true for me. A traffic | | | | a guide is recommended. In addition to the |
| jam caused by young buffalo calves and their | | | | trails, there are also viewing platforms |
| mothers crossing the road is an experience | | | | built atop massive ajo trees. |
| not to be missed. It made me wonder about | | | | |
| other places that would be conducive to | | | | The Komodo Islands in Indonesia house the |
| viewing wildlife in a natural setting. From | | | | world's largest population of Komodo dragons. |
| my research I have come up with a list of | | | | These animals can grow to be over 300 pounds |
| some of the best places to visit if viewing | | | | and up to nine feet in length. These islands |
| animals in nature is your objective. | | | | are now an Indonesian national park and |
| | | | permits and tour guides are required, but |
| In the United States, national parks are the | | | | they make the experience much more |
| best place to start. For viewing sea animals, | | | | user-friendly (Komodo dragons aren't in |
| the best places include the Channel Islands | | | | petting zoos for a reason). In addition to |
| off the coast of California. The islands are | | | | land tours, you can also take a sea kayak |
| surrounded by sea lions, seals, gray whales | | | | around the park and see coral reefs, fish, |
| and humpback whales. There are also numerous | | | | dolphins, whales and sea turtles. |
| tide pools that house creatures such as sea | | | | |
| urchins and anemones. Another area great for | | | | Tanjung Puting National Park in Borneo is one |
| water animals is Glacier Bay in Alaska. | | | | of the last places to see orangutans in their |
| Humpback whales and sea lions are in | | | | own natural habitat. Through an elaborate |
| abundance off shore and on land bears and | | | | network of hiking trails, you can see the |
| moose are often times available for viewing. | | | | orangutans up close, swinging from branch to |
| For a different spin on water creatures, | | | | branch, suckling their young, or building |
| visit the Florida Everglades, the last | | | | nests to sleep. There are also orangutans in |
| remaining everglades on the planet. There you | | | | captivity which can be viewed. They are being |
| will see crocodiles and alligators co-exists | | | | rehabilitated before being returned to the |
| along with turtles, dear, manatees and | | | | wild. There are other jungle species as well |
| bobcats. The everglades contain large viewing | | | | that can be viewed in the orangutan jungle, |
| towers that are devoted especially to | | | | including clouded leopards, civets, Malaysian |
| wildlife watching or you can be a bit more | | | | sun bears, deer, numerous species of birds, |
| daring and take a canoe ride in croc-infested | | | | and butterflies. |
| waters. | | | | |
| | | | Nowhere can you see polar bears so up-close |
| Other national parks that make the list for | | | | and personal as you can in Churchill, |
| best wildlife viewing are Denali National | | | | Manitoba. When Hudson Bay freezes, between |
| Park in Alaska, Glacier National park in | | | | October and November, this town is overrun |
| Montana, Rocky Mountain National Park in | | | | with polar bears as they travel their |
| Colorado and Theodore Roosevelt National Park | | | | migration path. In early winter, they even |
| in North Dakota. Denali, Glacier and Rocky | | | | stop to dine on the region's seal population. |
| Mountain offer animals such as dall sheep, | | | | For more up close views, you can take a |
| grizzlies, caribou, wolves, mountain goats, | | | | tundra buggy (a converted school bus) into |
| elk, dear, bighorn sheep and marmots. | | | | the migratory packs for a quick day-trip. For |
| Theodore Roosevelt is a less well known park | | | | longer exposure, there are tundra lodges that |
| and therefore offers great viewing of bison, | | | | provide all day exposure to the bears in |
| wild horses, deer and elk without all the | | | | their native environment. |
| crowds. | | | | |
| | | | One of the most famous places to view |
| Outside of the US, there are more exotic | | | | wildlife is Kenya, and what better way to see |
| animals available for viewing at places such | | | | it than on a safari. Safari's can take you |
| as Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica, the | | | | through the likes of Masai Mara National |
| Komodo Islands in Indonesia, Tanjung Puting | | | | Park, Amboseli Game Reserve and Mt. |
| National Park in Borneo, Polar Bear | | | | Kilimanjaro to view lions, leopards, |
| Observation in Canada, and of course a Kenyan | | | | cheetahs, wildebeests, zebras, flamingos, |
| Safari. | | | | black rhinos, giraffes and elephants. |
| | | | Safari's range from less expensive options |
| The Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica is | | | | starting around $500.00 for an 8 day |
| a brilliant rain forest that contains over | | | | excursion to very luxurious safaris costing |
| 100,000 acres of land and 5,000 acres of | | | | up to $9,000. Either way, you get to see what |
| marine habitat. The park is home to 116 | | | | you like most...animals. |
| species of amphibians and reptiles, 139 | | | | |