Amazing American animal facts you might not know

Surprising species

America is full of curious creatures – many of whom have become emblems of their respective US states. But while animals such as the bald eagle, alligator, and black bear are instantly recognizable for what or where they represent, there's often much more to them than initially meets the eye.

Click through this gallery to learn 29 surprising facts about animals in the US...

The bald eagle is a symbol as old as America

Featured on the Great Seal of the United States, the national symbolism of the bald eagle is nearly as old as the country itself. The native North American bird first appeared on a Massachusetts copper cent in 1776 – the same year US independence was declared. Several years of wrangling over what the national emblem should be followed, and the bald eagle was finally chosen in 1782.

Founding Father Benjamin Franklin is said to have opposed the emblem, and in a letter to his daughter he called the eagle "a bird of bad moral character."

Bighorn sheep clashing sounds like gunfire

Bighorn sheep are native to the western mountainous regions of North America and are the state animal of Colorado. They're social creatures, but rams usually live in bachelor groups while ewes stay with a herd with younger lambs. In fall, rams use their horns to fight for dominance and female mating rights by running at each other at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour.

Their 30lbs horns make a crash so loud as they make contact that it sounds like gunfire, and can be heard about a mile away.

Moose always have right of way

Moose are the emblem of Alaska, so it's hardly surprising they can be found across the 49th state. Weighing up to 1,600lbs, these massive creatures often wander through city streets and along major highways, so drivers are regularly reminded that moose always have right of way and are unlikely to yield to vehicles.

Indeed, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game estimates that there's more than 800 collisions involving moose each year. 

Scorpions glow in the dark

Top tip for those who want to avoid scorpions at night – they will glow in the dark if you hold an ultraviolet (UV) light over them. Their fluorescence is due to particular molecules in the cuticle of the creature's exoskeleton, which absorb the longer wavelengths of UV light and then emit them as a blue-green glow.

Freshly-molted scorpions – of which there are around 100 species in the US – do not glow immediately, but they do after they've aged a bit.

Columbus mistook manatees for mermaids

The mythology of the mermaid – a fabled marine creature with the upper body of a woman and the tail of a fish – has long spanned world cultures. So much so that even Christopher Columbus reported seeing three 'mermaids' on his first unwitting voyage to the New World in 1493.

Describing them as "not half as beautiful as they are painted," what the explorer had actually spotted was three manatees – slow-moving marine mammals that live off the coast of Florida and are closely related to elephants.

The 'ringtail cat' is actually a raccoon

The ringtail is the state mammal of Arizona and goes by names including ring-tailed cat, civet cat, and miner's cat. However, despite its many moggy monikers, it's actually a member of the raccoon family and – just to add to the confusion – its Latin name 'bassariscus astutus' means 'clever little fox.' 

Ringtails can also survive a very long time without drinking water as they get it from the food they eat – meaning that they have extremely concentrated urine.

Atlantic salmon have an extraordinary sense of smell

Atlantic salmon were once native to coastal rivers across the northeast US, although dams, pollution, and overfishing mean that wild populations are now only found in Maine. They live in both fresh and saltwater – spawning and rearing juveniles in rivers before migrating to saltwater to mature. They then somehow navigate their way back to their original spawning grounds, and we still don't know exactly how.

Some say they rely on their strong sense of smell, which can detect one drop of scent in an area the size of 10 Olympic swimming pools.

Boston terriers are nicknamed 'American gentlemen'

The Boston terrier is known as 'the American gentleman' due to its tuxedo-style coat, dapper demeanor and impeccable manners. The 'tuxedo' can be white and either black or shades of brown, and covers a physique that is described by the American Kennel Club as sporty and compact.

The breed first emerged in Southborough, Massachusetts but became popular in the wealthy Boston neighborhood of Beacon Hill in the 19th century – from which it took its name.

Armadillos nearly always give birth to identical quadruplets

The nine-banded armadillo is the only armadillo species found in the United States, having first appeared in the fossil record in South America some 60 million years ago. The state small mammal of Texas, this armored animal is also the only known vertebrate to give birth to identical quadruplets.

While genetic diversity is generally considered a positive for most species, the armadillo bucks the trend by giving birth to clones – and no one really knows why.

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Wolverines can smell prey deep, deep under the snow

Wolverines are native to the northwest US and are known for their strength, fearlessness, and voracity, famously facing down predators more than twice their size. Members of the weasel family, wolverines particularly enjoy meat and are willing to work for it. They'll travel up to 15 miles in 24 hours in search of food and will happily scavenge other animals' catches.

They also have an extraordinary sense of smell, and are able to smell prey 20 feet under the snow.

Theodore Roosevelt helped save bison from extinction

The American bison is the largest land animal in North America, with males weighing up to 2,000lbs, and the largest population lives in Yellowstone National Park. Bison were on the verge of extinction in the late 19th century due to systemic overhunting, but they found a fortunate friend in future US president Teddy Roosevelt.

He traveled to Dakota to hunt bison in 1883, but went on to pave the way for the modern conservation movement and help found the American Bison Society with William Hornaday.

Gila monsters are the only venomous lizards in the US

The Gila monster is one of only two venomous lizards found in North America, and the only one in the US. Also America's largest lizard, growing up to 22 inches, the Gila monster is found across Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah, and has a vicious reputation that it doesn't really deserve.

While its venom is potent and can be painful, fatalities from bites are extremely rare. The biggest problem if you do get bitten is trying to get the lizard to release its grip. 

Prairie dogs have an advanced vocabulary

Prairie dogs inhabit the grasslands of the central and western US and are key players in their ecosystems – supporting 136 other American species through their various activities. Don't be fooled by their cute appearances, as they're actually quite skilled fighters.

Their squeaky calls are far more complex than they first appear too, and prairie dogs' vocabulary is more advanced than any other animal language that's been decoded, with distinct calls for different predators.

Roadrunners can't outrun coyotes

The roadrunner bird was immortalized in Looney Tunes cartoons, where Road Runner was regularly portrayed outrunning his nemesis Wile E Coyote, uttering a distinctive 'meep, meep' as he went. However, despite the coyote's many failed attempts, the match-up would play out very differently in reality. 

Roadrunners can reach speeds of just over 20 miles per hour when chasing prey, but coyotes can clock 40 miles per hour and would easily win the foot race.

Alligator snapping turtles use their tongues to lure in prey

Alligator snapping turtles are so named because of the ridges on their shells and their powerful jaws, which can deliver a tremendous bite. Native to the rivers and streams that feed the Gulf of Mexico, the freshwater turtle – the largest of its kind in the world – catches its prey by sitting very still and luring in fish with its tongue, which has a small, worm-like appendage on it.

The speed of their snaps depends on the temperature, as they slow down if they're too cold.

Northern cardinals fight their own reflections

With brilliant red plumage and a black face around its beak, the northern cardinal – which is found across the eastern US – is certainly distinctive. Indeed, the birds were named after the cardinals of the Roman Catholic church by early settlers, who were reminded of the robes and caps worn by high-ranking clergy.

Northern cardinals are also very territorial and will even fight their own reflections in windows or mirrors, mistaking the flash of their own red feathers for intruders.

Killer whales are actually dolphins

Killer whales, or orcas, are the ocean's top predators – and are actually dolphins, not whales. Found off the Pacific coast, their distinctive black and white markings make them instantly recognizable, but the name 'killer whale' has a murky origin.

It's thought to be based on ancient sailors observing orcas – which derives from their Latin name 'orcinus orca' – hunting and preying on large whales, leading to the moniker 'whale killers.' Over time, this name is thought to have flipped to 'killer whales.'

Monarch butterflies make 3,000-mile journeys

North American monarch butterflies migrate between August and October, with those in the west going to California and those in the east heading to Mexico. They then head north again in the spring for the breeding season.

These little insects travel extraordinary distances – flying up to 3,000 miles to reach their final destinations – and can cover more than 100 miles daily by coasting on air currents, enabling them to move quickly and conserve energy. 

Atlantic horseshoe crabs lived with dinosaurs

The Atlantic horseshoe crab, or the American horseshoe crab, has remarkably remained relatively unchanged in appearance for 350 million years. Living in the Gulf of Mexico and along the east coast of America, these living fossils are not actually true crabs but part of an ancient group of arthropods that are related to spiders and scorpions.

Their blood also plays a vital role in human medicine, as it contains a substance that can be used to test vaccines, drugs, and prosthetics.

Black bears give birth while in hibernation

Black bears, which are found across North America, are masters of adaptation. They hibernate in winter when there is little food available, but that doesn't stop them from giving birth. Female bears look for a spot to hibernate in a self-made den in October or November, and usually give birth to one to three cubs in January.

These nurse while she continues to doze periodically, with all of them only emerging in late March or April. The cubs then tend to stay with their mother for one more winter.

Beavers are the largest rodents in North America

North American beavers are slightly bigger than their Eurasian counterparts, and would be the world's largest rodents if it wasn't for the South American capybara. They remain the largest rodents in North America – typically weighing between 35lbs and 65lbs and standing up to one and half feet tall.

They're among the world's only animals to actively modify their habitats, building lodges, and dams that reduce stream erosion and create areas for aquatic wildlife.

Snowshoe hares change color

Native to the boreal forests of the northern US, snowshoe hares are so named because of their large webbed hind feet, which enable them to skim across powdered snow and make them excellent swimmers. They also change color according to the season in order to evade predators.

This change is triggered by changes in daylight – the hares shed their snowy white coats for brown when the days get longer in spring, and do the reverse when the days shorten in fall. 

Catfish have taste receptors all over their bodies

Channel catfish are opportunistic omnivores that can be found in freshwater ponds, streams, rivers, and lakes across the US. They are most active at night, and tend to be found at the bottom of dark and muddy waters where they use their remarkable senses of taste and smell to detect and secure food.

In fact, catfish have taste receptors all over their bodies, with the highest concentration in their 'whiskers' – four pairs of barbels around their mouths. 

Javelinas can jump up to six feet

Javelinas, also known as collared peccaries, are native to the southwest US. These medium-sized, pig-like creatures have extremely poor eyesight but make up for it with other abilities – including being able to run at up to 35 miles per hour and jump six feet from standing.

They're also known for having a scent gland on their rumps that gives off a strong odor, which they use to identify relatives and other members of their squad. 

The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the world's most endangered

The Hawaiian monk seal is one of the world's rarest and most endangered seal species, and one of its closest relatives – the Caribbean monk seal – went extinct in the 1950s. Having been hunted almost to extinction in the 19th century, there are now concerted efforts to protect the Hawaiian monk seal – so named because of the folds of fur around its neck that resemble a monk's cowl.

The current population is estimated at around 1,600 seals.

Alligators cannot digest salt

The American alligator can be found across the southern US, although it's probably most associated with the Florida Everglades and Louisiana bayou. The largest reptiles in North America, males average 11.2 feet in length and can weigh up to 1,000lbs.

One thing that differentiates them from their close cousins, crocodiles, is that alligators have no salt glands and cannot digest salt. This means they can only live in freshwater environments, as saltwater would dehydrate them.

Black widow spider venom is stronger than a rattlesnake's

Black widows have a well-earned reputation as one of the world's most venomous spiders, and several species are found across the US. Their venom is reported to be 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake's, and their bite can cause breathing difficulties, muscle aches, and nausea – although it's rarely fatal.

Good news for humans is that those most at risk are male black widows, as females sometimes kill and eat their counterparts after mating – an act that gives the spiders their name.

Cougars are the largest cats that purr

Cougars, also known as mountain lions or pumas, are found in the western US and are the largest cats that purr. Larger cats like lions, jaguars and tigers cannot purr, but can roar instead. Cougars are also incredibly agile, with the ability to jump 15 feet high and sprint up to 50 miles per hour making them excellent hunters.

Cougars can live in many different ecosystems – from deserts to snowy mountains – but are nearly extinct in the eastern US with the exception of the Florida panther.

A grizzly bear's hump is actually muscle

Grizzly bears are a North American subspecies of the brown bear, and are so named because their fur is white-tipped which, when back lit by the sun, gives them a somewhat grizzled appearance. Another grizzly bear-specific feature is the prominent hump on their shoulders – which is actually a hunk of muscle that helps their front legs dig out winter dens and overturn rocks.

The hump is one of the easiest ways to identify a grizzly, which is a state symbol of California.

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