The map of the United States shown above depicts the largest land predator in each U.S. state.
The largest predator in the U.S. is the black bear, with 29 states reporting a major population of this wild animal. Colorado has the most number of black bear observations, with over 2,200 them being sighted in the Centennial State.
Nine states, mostly in the southeastern area, have the American Alligator as their largest predator:
- Texas
- Oklahoma
- Arkansas
- Mississippi
- Alabama
- Georgia
- North Carolina
- South Carolina
The state of Texas, nicknamed the Lone Star State, has sighted over 4,000 native alligators, the most of any state that houses them.
Meanwhile, coyotes are dominant in four U.S. states:
- North Dakota
- Iowa
- Illinois
- Indiana
Over 400 wild coyotes are being monitored in Illinois, the Prairie State. In addition, there are also a few sightings of coyotes in Washington, D.C.
Three U.S. states are home to the wild grizzly bear:
- Idaho
- Montana
- Wyoming
The state of Wyoming, with close to 500 observations of the grizzlies, has more of the wild bear than any other U.S. state.
There are four American predators that are unique to one U.S. state each in terms of their largest weight:
- Mountain Lion: Nebraska
- American Crocodile: Florida
- Polar Bear: Alaska
- Domestic Cat: Hawaii
Reddit user u/WinsingtonIII notes that these sightings are so listed because of hikers and those living or working in the wild. They report back these sightings for statistical and public purposes. However, Reddit user u/famousagentman thinks differently. He remarks that these wild animals “hang out in the mountains, where they are simply considered a fact of life, unworthy of reporting.” It’s a different story, though, if “they come down from the mountains into populated areas.” In the case of black bears, their presence would be recorded if they are seen as a threat – even if they are only searching for food, given that they are scavengers.
These books explore the world of some of these wild creatures:
- American Wolf: A True Story of Survival and Obsession in the West
- American Alligator: Ancient Predator in the Modern World
- Coyote America: A Natural and Supernatural History
- The Bears Ears: A Human History of America’s Most Endangered Wilderness
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