Extreme SE wildlife

[Aerows]

Louisiana wildlife is what I am most familiar with, and have trudged through more bayous, coolies, and swamps than is normal.

Things you don't mess with: Feral hogs, alligators or water moccasins.

Other snakes, lizards and little mammals like mice? Fine.

DON'T go at NIGHT because there are any number of things in the swamps that will grab you and you will never see daylight again.

Do armadillos scare you because they might transmit leprosy? Go ahead and keep going into the woods.

Deer ticks that carry Lyme disease? Oh boy, keep on heading into the wilderness at dusk.

Everything in the entire area will eat you - mosquitoes (that should be a clue) raccoons, alligators, eels, snakes, feral hogs ...

When mosquitoes come out, that is Mother Natures way of saying get the hell inside.

[Fumesucker]

1. I'm an amateur astronomer and I'm out a lot at night here in the SE

Twice in the last few years I've had what I'm fairly sure is a cougar or wildcat edge around me in the dark, large reflective eyes far apart and off the ground a good ways, a snarl that doesn't sound at all like a dog and is deep enough to be coming from something bigger than even a large house cat. I shine my bright LED flashlight on it and take a couple of steps toward and then stop.

Saw my first ever actual live armadillo three months ago or so, about two AM I was walking my dog right before bed, came around the corner of the well house and there he was. We have possums galore but I haven't seen any raccoons. My little dachshund is death on adolescent possums, she's killed several of them about the size of a large rat.

Right now the resident whippoorwill is singing up a storm, does it every night and sometimes it sounds like he's right outside my window.

[quaker bill]

2. We have added a few in FL

Not numerous enough yet to encounter people much, but growing:

Reticulated Boas, Rock Pythons, Nile monitors, and most recently, Nile Crocs.

FL had some fairly big snakes with your occasional 8' diamondback, but these guys take it to another level getting to 18 to 20'. Nile Crocs see large African mammals like zebras and humans as prey naturally, where your typical FL alligator doesn't generally go for things that large.

[Aerows]

3. I lived in Florida, and interestingly enough

kayaked under bridge and we saw manatees.

They are so beautiful with their curious and inquisitive faces.

[quaker bill]

4. I have taken yankee relatives to see them

At Blue Springs. They stack up in the spring runs during the winter and with the water being glass clear you can see dozens. Very impressive and sweet.