Rarest animal you have seen in the wild

[Spawn67]

The thread about the monkey story got me thinking.
Whats the rarest/strangest animal you have seen in the wild? Something youve never seen again.
Mine has to be a cougar/mountain lion that I saw in Maryland in the snow.

[Cmonster]

I see blue whales all the time. Bald eagles at Catalina Island... saw one yesterday as a matter of fact.

SC

[Mikey]

Years ago I used to see 5 foot tall cranes hanging around the local creek.

Today they're nowhere to be seen.

[Donkey Hoatie]

A couple years ago in the Yellowstone back country, my brothers and I spent about 2 hours watching 5 wolves devour a good portion of an elk carcass from about 150 yards away. That was pretty awesome. We could hear the rest of the pack all around us, howling. Some rangers came by and sat with us for an hour or so and then told us we were the last ones on the trail and it would be closed after we turned around and headed back. About 45 minutes later, we heard a grizzly knocking down trees nearby to scare the wolves away from the carcass. So, we decided to get out of Dodge. As we turned around, it turns out a couple of wolves had snuck around behind us, watching from about 100 yards away. Wolves on two sides, a grizzly on another. We made as much noise as we could walking towards the 2 wolves, knowing full well that there were probably a couple others hiding as well. They took off and we were able to head back to the trail head 4 miles away. Great, great day.

[toys2cool]

big foot

[GlobalObserver]

We have Ivory-billed Woodpeckers in my neck of the woods. In thirty years, I've only seen them twice. You've got about as much a chance of seeing an actual Bigfoot as you do seeing one of these birds, so I consider myself extremely fortunate to have seen it.

[saildog]

About 4 or 5 years ago I road-tripped down to a local place with a bunch of guys I grew up with. When we were in high school we used to hike this mountain that overlooks the artillery range at Ft.Sill. We got to the top on the easy trail and then took the hard way back down.

Shortly into the descent we saw a Bison near the summit. He was directly below us and breathing pretty hard.

I know Bison aren't that rare these days in refuges or on dedicated farms, but to see a herd animal of the plains alone at that altitude was kind of trippy.

[Sideshow Spock]

I once saw palitoy shiit in the woods.. does that count?

[saildog]

I once saw palitoy shiit in the woods.. does that count?

Does a bear have a 70s Pop Culture Blog??

[highquality]

I once saw a Golden Eagle eating a rabbit. Those eagles are HUGE!!

[SeattleEd]

We have Ivory-billed Woodpeckers in my neck of the woods. In thirty years, I've only seen them twice. You've got about as much a chance of seeing an actual Bigfoot as you do seeing one of these birds, so I consider myself extremely fortunate to have seen it.

Really? I heard these are extinct now. How long ago? I heard on NPR how some researchers were trying to photograph one now and get some recordings. No luck.
I'd say you are VERY fortunate! I envy you.

[saildog]

I have seen Bald Eagles in Oklahoma from time to time.

[The Bat]

I saw a Fisher walking beside the Road in broad daylight. He was pretty big...and cool looking too!

[SeattleEd]

Plenty of bald eagles up here in the northwest. Actually seen them dive for prey. Amazing site to behold.
Seen orcas out in Puget Sound during migration.

[livnxxxl]

big foot

You seen him to?!?! I knew I was not losing my mind. This big foot character really gets around. LOL!!