It is no secret that Colorado is full of lions and tigers and bears (oh my!), as well as moose, coyotes, and other potentially dangerous animals, but in recent years, reports of some out-of-place animals have been spotted as well. Whenever you are out in the great outdoors of Colorado, make sure to keep your eyes peeled for these five out-of-place creatures that have been spotted around the Centennial State:
Sure, Colorado is known for its agriculture and super fresh meat, but seeing a feral pig out and about? This is actually pretty rare. What is so bad about these wild hogs? According to Colorado Parks & Wildlife officials (who had to catch and euthanize four wild pigs found near Hotchkiss this spring), these hogs are considered invasive and are known to cause significant property damage and destroy crops.
It's a bird, it's a plane, it's... a flying squirrel? While squirrels are no stranger to Coloradans, their distant, nocturnal cousins certainly are. While extremely rare, Northern Flying Squirrels have been spotted in Colorado, so keep your eyes peeled for these odd fliers.
Wolves were once native and easy-to-spot in Colorado, but this is no longer the case; they were eradicated in the 1940s. However, in recent years, lone wolves have been spotted around the state, so Colorado Parks & Wildlife is already predicting they may soon make a big comeback. It’s a positive sign that these native predators are returning to their natural habitat, but do keep your distance.
Sure, Colorado is home to the epic Gators Reptile Park (which is home to hundreds of alligators and other reptiles), but did you know alligators have been found outside of the park! In 2007, a lone alligator is alleged to have been swimming in a Loveland pond, and in 2010, a group of kids found one in Riverbend Park in Palisade.
They are cute and cuddly looking, but - sadly- the black-footed ferret is on Colorado's list of endangered species, making them rare to see. Today, there is estimated to be only around 600 black-footed ferrets in Colorado, some of which are in wild relocation sites and others that are housed in captive breeding facilities. If you see one in the wild, leave it in peace!
Have you seen any of these unusual creatures roaming about Colorado? Let us know in the comments!
