Every year, people travel across Africa in search of a wild safari adventure with elephants, rhinos, giraffes and lions. North America doesn’t have lions but it does have mountain lions and bears. Amazing wild creatures are prowling through the forests, roaming over the prairies, floating through the sky and swimming through the ocean. Here are some animals to track down on a North American safari.
Grizzly Bears
Grizzlies, or brown bears, are one of North America’s fiercest animals. These bears roam throughout the Alaskan countryside but Denali National Park is one of the best places to search for them. Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park also offer an opportunity to witness grizzly bears in the wild.
Monarch Butterflies
Mexico has monarch butterfly preserves that attract thousands of these beautiful creatures. Visitors can witness masses of butterflies as they flutter around the trees. Experts estimate that over a million butterflies travel to the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve outside of Mexico City every autumn. In the
springtime the monarchs begin their migration to Canada.
Moose
Moose Alley follows US Route 3 as it travels from New Hampshire to the Canadian border. Every year Bull Moose congregate in Cascade Canyon, located in Grand Teton National Park. Wildlife enthusiasts have many chances to witness these powerful animals in their natural habitat.
Whales
Just off the coast of North America, giant whales swim beneath the ocean’s surface. These animals migrate, so you have to catch them in the right season if you want to witness their majestic stokes. Alaska’s Glacier Bay National Park is populated with humpback and gray whales. Orcas also swim in these waters but they’re technically dolphins. You can also go whale watching on the east coast. Maine, Massachusetts and other states throughout the Northeast region regularly see whales.
Wolves
The mournful howl of wolves echoes through forests across the US now more than ever. In the lower 48 states, the wild wolf population has grown from fewer than 300 to over 4,000. Outside of Alaska, Minnesota has the largest population of these wild animals.
Bison
Bison herds roam the Midwest prairies after recovering from near extinction. Custer State Park in South Dakota has one of the largest herds but these animals also roam the land in North Dakota, Nebraska and Montana.
Dolphins
Dolphins have always attracted tourists as they flip through the water. The Hawaiian Islands offer many opportunities to swim with these creatures. The Gulf of Mexico is home to many bottlenose dolphins, clymene dolphins, Atlantic spotted dolphins and other species.
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