Animals in my area: Sandhill Crane, Eastern Coyote, Groundhog, North American River Otter.
Animals in other areas: American Brown Bear, North American Cougar, Canada Lynx, Gray Wolf.
despite of looking hard since the 1970s, I never saw any Autophila hirsuta. The moth species is described from Switzerland, my home country, but either it seems to be very local, super rare or simply doesn’t come to the artificial light at night.
https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/1137310-Autophila-hirsuta
1 Like
What, no wish list for fish or snails?!? There are tons of nudibranchs that I’d love to see, plus the Mola mola, a.k.a. Ocean Sunfish, and Leafy Sea Dragon.
1 Like
I’ve seen a humuhumunukunukuapua’a in person 
No idea where to start with snails, besides lots of garlic and butter.
2 Likes
I’ve thought about this question and I’ve decided that I don’t have a wish list for specific species. I definitely want to travel outside my home range (New England in the US, more or less) and see everything and anything that I’ve never seen before, but mostly I just want to “see” - meaning find and be able to identify - species that live right around me. Say, within an hour’s drive. Beetles: I know very little. Pondweeds (Potamogeton): I know they’re out there. but I’ve been too lazy to learn them. Isopods: I see them almost every day in warmer weather, but I don’t really “see” them. Sedges: every year, my botanical friends and I swear we’re going to learn sedges and every year we chase rare orchids and ferns instead. Anything marine: I live two hours’ drive from the seacoast and I know virtually nothing. And so on. I find it thrilling that Charley Eiseman (ceiseman on iNat) regularly finds and describes new species of leafminers and gall makers from his fairly ordinary yard in an ordinary part of Massachusetts about an hour from me. I’ll never have Charley’s patience and persistence, but I can dream, can’t I?
1 Like
In my local area, mainly owls (especially an Eastern screech owl, they’re adorable). I’ve yet to see an owl in the wild.
For species living elsewhere, reptiles, since we have so few in the frozen north. The top of the list is an indigo snake but I’d also love to see a copperhead and a coral snake.
Probably not that exotic or exciting but two animals I missed on different trips that I really wanted to see but didn’t was a road runner and a moose.
1 Like
I made a list yesterday of species I’ve seen but have yet to observed on iNat. I would want to see those species again and get photos. Missing Species
As for completely new species, would like to see a Mule Duck (Mallard x Muscovy Duck) some time. I really want to get a feel for how they behave and sound, as well as grasping their sheer size! In fact, I’d be happy to see any new species of waterfowl.
There’s also a breed of Mallard called the Hookbill which has an incredibly unique appearance. A few have been observed on iNat, here’s the best photo:
Blue Hookbill
2 Likes
You need to visit Michigan!
I’d love to find a fox.
1 Like
That’s a great idea to create list! I made one too, though it’s not as long, my memory is so bad I don’t remember what I saw! https://www.inaturalist.org/lists/4358591--------------iNat
1 Like
Gee, only one observation in the past 10 years. That does seem rare indeed!
2 Likes
I’d love to see a free roaming American bison (Bison bison). Either subspecies would do. I’ve seen them behind wire but never in the wild. What makes it sadder is that I’ve seen free roaming European bison in Poland. How is that possible? Canada really needs to make more room for bison again.
3 Likes
Over the last month I have gotten quite lucky, so I can now cross off the Sandhill Crane, the Eastern Coyote, and the Groundhog off of my list!
2 Likes
In about 1,5 weeks I’m going to a pretty short trip to Primorsky Krai and this topic gave me an idea to create an ultimate wishlist for this territory, I’m still working on it, trying not to include the whole local red list, but it would be interesting to see how many species I’ll be able to find (some of them are very rare or/and were found in later months)! https://www.inaturalist.org/lists/4358929-To-see-in-Primore-2022
I hope to see your lists for different places too!
1 Like
That one goes with my post to the “what animals make you cringe” thread – about deformed animals! I hope I never see one!
1 Like
To each there own!
1 Like
Your list is amazing - so many of beautiful animals to find there! Good luck with your list and you may have a wonderful time seeking.
1 Like
Also like you, never seen a Luna moth, or any big showy moth for that matter. It would be nice!
I really want to see every big/long eared bat in the world, but not being a millionaire will settle for North America. Won’t be the easiest really; even being a cave scientist, especially as some populations are in big decline. So far only seen Townsends and Rafs. If anyone knows good locations to see any, I’d love a message :)
I’d also love to see some river dolphins (any of them) but likely never will due to aforementioned not being rich to travel like that. At least bats species that use caves I have a decent chance at seeing at some point naturally.
There are some rare for this area butterflies and potential to find some fungi for first time in the state I live in, so maybe I’ll find some of those! I’ve been a part of finding new species, and new ranges, for quite a few cave inverts so it would be nice to do that above ground too.
2 Likes