Animals across the Carolinas

[Vitamin_N]

I was unable to get a picture but I saw a family of deer in Freedom park today just north of Princeton along the creek trail. That's the closest I've personally seen deer to uptown.

[KJHburg]

7 hours ago, Vitamin_N said:

I was unable to get a picture but I saw a family of deer in Freedom park today just north of Princeton along the creek trail. That's the closest I've personally seen deer to uptown.

they do like to travel the greenways too.  

[KJHburg]

Gators birds and turtles in the low country on the island William Hilton is named for. 

[KJHburg]

Cats hanging out in an island town and crab on the beach. 

Edited May 6, 2021 by KJHburg

[KJHburg]

Birds of a feather flock together.  Coastal South Carolina. 

[KJHburg]

Gators in the Lowcountry of SC.  Here and there.  Small dogs and cats beware. 

[KJHburg]

a few wild horses decided to visit the downtown Corolla area and had to corralled but to beach zone north of town.  Wink's is a convenience store so maybe a 6 pack? 

A few Outer Banks wild horses take a trip to Corolla village - OBX Today

[KJHburg]

Cool lowcountry morning means alligators want to sun before all the tourists get up.

 

[KJHburg]

and from the mountains in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park please NEVER feed bear.

Bear tranquilized after Great Smoky Mountains visitors try to feed it peanut butter, rangers say – FOX 46 Charlotte

Likewise here in the SC Lowcountry or SE NC where alligators live do not feed them.  If gators are fed by people they equate the 2 legged people as food sources and will come after you.

This little guy was seen was chomping on a whole crab and he can do the same with your toes and fingers. 

Do not feed wild animals ever. 

 

[Vitamin_N]

We found this guy munching on a beetle last week at Carolina Beach State Park. It was a pretty good sized lizard (or salamander, I'm not really sure what this is)--bigger than the green anoles you see around here.

 

[KJHburg]

The escaped deadly Zebra cobra snake has been caught finally in Raleigh.  It was terrorizing the north suburbs of our Capital City.

Raleigh snake: Owner of escaped zebra cobra has large TikTok following where he shows off exotic reptiles - ABC11 Raleigh-Durham

it created quite a stir in  Raleigh really it did. 

this snake was headed towards my college roommate's house in NW Raleigh! 

Relief: Venomous zebra cobra captured in north Raleigh neighborhood :: WRAL.com

Edited July 1, 2021 by KJHburg

[rancenc]

Could be a great location to observe the wildlife on both land and water.  Aerial view of Ramsey Creek Park on Lake Norman

 

[tozmervo]

FWIW, Jetton Park is across the inlet to the north and is a much more "natural feel" park (and larger). It's an excellent park. Ramsey is definitely a much more active & loud park. 

[Matthew.Brendan]

 

Spotted along greenway below Cordelia park

[Matthew.Brendan]

 

 

Also spotted locally, these guys absolutely enjoying all of my sunflower seeds. 
 

[KJHburg]

Up in Cherokee area recently saw these elk grazing.  Oh yeah when they say elk crossing like they do on Balsam Mountain Rd an offshoot of the Blue Ridge Parkway they mean it!  Saw 2 elks cross my path right in front of me and believe me your don't want to hit an elk.  (no photos of them as they were moving fast)

The elk of Great Smoky Mountains National Park prefer the NC side of the park as that is where they were introduced and have spread quite a ways around the park.   They stop traffic literally every day. 

They love to come out in and after a rain FYI all near Oconaluftee Visitors center. 

and check out that rack on that bull! 

 

[KJHburg]

Raleigh has become our source for weird animal news in the Carolinas.  Now a bear in a tree in hospital parking lot in west  Raleigh and it was lured down and out of the city by JELLY DOUHGNUTS and sardines.  Probably wandered over from Umstead State Park 

Bear in tree at Raleigh's UNC REX lured down with jelly donuts Wednesday morning, police say (fox46.com)

[EllAyyDub]

Little love for the State Freshwater Trout (and only native trout/char species), the Southern Strain Appalachian Brook Trout.

[KJHburg]

Condo check up trip to Hilton Head and I missed all the excitement by one day.  The beach was cleared when a shark came very close to shore.  In all my years of going there I have had only one shark encounter.  I was about 3-4 feet away in shallow water from a hammerhead.  I backed out of the ocean and he swam away.   I respect sharks the ocean is their home and we are just guests in it.  And sharks are off the waters of ALL Carolina beaches whether people see them or encounter them is a different story.  If I see a school of bait fish swimming near me I move as they often follow those schools of fish close to the shore.  

these are from some of our owners at the resort.   Kudos to Mr Wilson who got these shots sharks are hard to photograph in the water! 

 

[KJHburg]

12 foot alligator in ocean by Oak Island pier.  the American alligator can tolerate salt water for a few hours or even a day or two but they do mainly live in freshwater but they do venture out from time to time.  One of my friends saw an alligator on the beach in Hilton Head a few years ago.

12-foot long alligator surfing waves at Oak Island :: WRAL.com

[southernnorthcarolina]

 

My puppy, Ike (so named because President Eisenhower had a Weimaraner in the White House), at 3 months old, "confronting" (behind the glass) the friendly doe who hangs around my house.

Ike was about 30 pounds at the time.  Now, just after his first birthday, he's 70 pounds.  The doe still comes around, sometimes with her fawn, and is utterly unconcerned about Ike when she sees that he is behind the glass or the fence.

[KJHburg]

Up close and personal with a shark at the NC Aquarium in Fort Fisher.   Look at those teeth!

 

[KJHburg]

a rare Albino alligator here in NC at the NC Aquarium in Fort Fisher south of Wilmington. 

[KJHburg]

Blue heron and ibises in the marsh in the lowcountry of SC. 

[tarhoosier]

Folklore maintains that the Ibis, a symbol of knowledge found in the Everglades and Egypt, is the last sign of wildlife to take shelter before a hurricane and the first to reappear after the storm. The local marsh bird was considered UM's first unofficial mascot when the school yearbook adopted the name "Ibis" in 1926.

University of Miami mascot and symbol. Stanley the Ibis.