It’s gut-wrenching to think that entire species of animals face extinction. Known as endangered animals, these species are becoming increasingly rare. Thus, the chances of seeing them are low. There are now over 41,000 endangered species.
But if you know where you should look, you may be lucky enough to come across an endangered species.
To help increase your chances, we’ve compiled a list of the US states in which you are most likely to find endangered animals. So if you want to experience these animals before they go extinct, here are the best places to look!
Top 10 States With The Highest Chance Of Seeing Endangered Animals
To create this set of data, we took into consideration the most popular endangered animals. Then, we located the states in which these endangered animals live so that we could find the states in which you have the highest possibility of encountering them.
Other factors, such as the number of zoos, aquariums, National State Parks, and National Wildlife Refuges, were also accounted for. After giving each state a score based on these considerations, here are the best states to visit:
California – score of 1.00
Florida – score of 0.83
Texas – score of 0.58
New York – score of 0.42
Alaska – score of 0.38
North Carolina – score of 0.38
Massachusetts – score of 0.37
Washington – score of 0.36
Ohio – score of 0.35
Oregon – score of 0.32
With an impressive score of 1.00, California is the top state in the US for spotting endangered animals. This is because it’s home to a large number of species. In particular, California contains plenty of rare animals.
Not to mention, California contains a large number of National Wildlife Refuges, with a whopping 38.
Top 5 States With The Lowest Chance Of Seeing Endangered Animals
If you want to maximize your chances of observing an endangered species, it’s best to avoid the following locations. This is because they have the lowest score according to our research:
Vermont 0.07
New Hampshire – 0.09
Rhode Island – 0.10
West Virginia – 0.11
Delaware – 0.12
So if you want to spot an endangered animal, Vermont is the worst place to go. With a score of just 0.07, the chances of you seeing an endangered species here are pitiful.
25 Of The Most Popular Endangered Animals In The US
Now that you know where to look, you should also decide what endangered animals you want to look for. Here are the most popular endangered animals in the US:
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
Black-Footed Ferret
Bog Turtles
California Condors
Columbia Basin Pygmy Rabbit
Crested HoneyKeeper
Dusky Gopher Frogs
Eskimo Curlew
Florida Manatee
Florida Panther
Franklin’s Bumble Bee
Giant Sea Bass
Grotto Sculpin
Kemp’s Ridley Turtle
Loggerhead Sea Turtle
Maui Parrotbill
Mitchell’s Satyr Butterfly
Oahu Tree Snails
Ozark Hellbender
Polar Bears
Red Wolf
San Joaquin Kit Fox
Smalltooth Sawfish
Tiger Beetle
Woodland Caribou
Final Thoughts
So there you have it! Whether you want to see a common animal like a brown corn snake or something a little rarer, California is the place to be. Other states that are high on the list include Florida and Texas.
But if you wish to learn about or snap a picture of an endangered species, perhaps you should avoid Vermont and New Hampshire!
Hi, I’m Olivia Kepner and I am a zookeeper here in San Diego. Since I was a young girl I have always been fascinated by animals and species across the globe.
I used to beg my parents to take me to our local zoo every single weekend. Well, I say local – it was more like a two hour drive away. But they took me as much as they could, allowing me to fall in love with the animals again and again.
