What Animal have you seen in the wild, that was a rarity for you ?

This wasn't on a hike, but the rarest animal I've seen in the wild, is an Ocean Sunfish.

there are Fire salamanders around here, But you don't get to spot one often.

I have been to a lot of places around the globe, but the coolest animals I have seen are in Cuba. Whether its aquatic or not. I am stuck between the stingrays, banana rats, and the Iguanas. Probably the Iguana is the coolest rarity I have seen. Suckers get to be mini godzilla sized out here!

Saw an otter on my run by the Caloosahatchee River this afternoon. It is only the second I've seen in over 20 years here. Caloosahatchee River Rat!

Bobcat

goat on a sheer cliff in Montana.

Road runner in South Texas recently. Saw them fairly often as a kid but not for a long time.

I grew up in Bolivia so got to see some rare critters. My brother and I were exploring in a cave and came across an Emerald Boa then promptly ran out of the cave. I got to see a few Harpy Eagles and Giant Condors as well. There was also a really poisonous snake that I stepped on once. I can't remember the name of it but was told it was the 3rd most poisonous snake in South America. Thankfully it didn't bite me.

Less rare but fun animals I've seen recently are mountain goats and marmots when hiking 14ers here in Colorado.

I've seen a few interesting wild animals in my life (bald eagle in a nature preserve, enormous bobcat in my neighborhood, red fox on campus), but the most interesting animals are the ones I knew were there, but I couldn't see.

I became aware of the first one through the sense of touch. I was on vacation in Marco Island, and we went out to the edge of the beach during low tide. The tide came in, and it ended up that we had to wade through waist high water to get back to the parking lot. As I was wading through, I felt something move, and then it felt like my foot grazed up against a submerged branch or something. When I got out of the water, I realized it wasn't a branch because there was a cut like a razor blade on the top of my foot and a ton of blood. The paramedics (there happened to be an ambulance that got beached right in front of me of all places) said it was a stingray that got me.

The other one (or ones) are a pair of Great Horned Owls that like to come into my backyard at night to investigate what we're doing. I think they live in a neighbor's tree, but they always come over to our yard if we're hanging out on the patio. Their hoots are absolutely mesmerizing.

I also live in Louisville. I live in the middle of the St Matthews area and over the past few weeks I've seen sea gulls flying and landing in a parking lot. Also saw a red fox dart across the street and into someone's front yard the other day. Not super rare animals but creatures I've only seen a couple times in my life.

Golden Eagle pair

While down in southern Illinois family and I had a bobcat walk right across the road in front of us. Funny thing is her cousins kids who works down there for the DNR said in his 6-7 years working he had never come across one. Beautiful animal.

I would say a cougar. I'm in the woods a lot and I've seen many different animals but I've only seen in cougar one time and it was a very brief sighting going across a hiking trail in a national forest in Alabama.

I saw two bald eagles up in a tree together yesterday.

Probably the red-tailed hawk that flew into my windshield on the interstate last year.

I found another echidna a few days ago. He wasn't the least bit bothered by me. Too busy sucking up ants.

A Black Widow Spider. I had always wanted to see one but they had always given me the slip. One day I stayed with friends at their vacation home and there she was. Big and black and red and beautiful. The awakening thing was that she was inside the house. An absolute once in a lifetime for me I think.

I've seen a young sloth (amongst others) whilst in the Guyanese Amazon (British Guyana) with Bushmasters.co.uk

I saw a Pileated Woodpecker today!

During bow season this past year I had a bobcat come within 5' of me. It wasnt a rare sighting but definitely a very exciting moment!! We both locked eyes and poop'd!!! He wasnt in a shooting lane for my bow and I didnt have a round charged in my pistol. Heart pumper for sure!!