If you live in a bustling and grey metropolis, you can spend entire days without meaningfully interacting with nature. However, if you slow down to appreciate your surroundings, you’re lucky enough to live in the suburbs or the countryside, or you take a trip out of town, you realize just how much biodiversity is around you.
Our animal-loving team at Bored Panda has traveled all over the internet to bring you some of the most wholesome wildlife encounters that took people completely by surprise. Scroll down to see some heart-warming photos, upvote the ones you loved the most, and consider what you can do to help your local wildlife conservation charities.

#1 I Think Someone Spilled A Bag Of Ducks Near Aisle 6

Image credits: thomasya13

#2 This Little Guy Started Hanging Around My Brother While He Was Working On A Car. I Believe It’s An American Kestrel. Which Means My Brother Made Friends With A Falcon

Image credits: AdolescentAlien

#3 Mountain Lions Moving Back Into Boulder During Lockdown

Image credits: clicktosave

The amount of biodiversity around us is incredible. Even if you live in a primarily urban environment, you’ll still encounter lots of different bugs and insects, different types of birds (not just pigeons!), probably rats, as well as stray dogs and cats.

If there are any parks or wooded areas in between your local skyscrapers, the odds are that you might also spot some squirrels, foxes, and raccoons. Of course, the specific animals you encounter are going to depend heavily on what part of the world you’re in!

#4 Not A Creature Was Stirring, All Through The House - Except For This Mouse Living In Our Christmas Tree, Apparently

Image credits: Wolferesque

#5 A Family Of Raccoons In My Yard

Image credits: Duskav3ng3r117

#6 Two Baby Bears On My Grandparents' Deck

Image credits: Grouchy_Raccoon_6681

If you live further away from the city center and you’re surrounded by more and more untouched nature, the animals you encounter are also going to be more varied. You might encounter entire groups of deer, different species of birds, insects, and amphibians.

If you’re living really remotely, you may even find some larger animals paying you a visit. Imagine drinking your first cup of morning coffee only to see a bear or a wolf walking past your front porch!

#7 Surprise Snoozing Seal Pup

Image credits: Roy4Pris

#8 The Neighborhood Fox And Her Kits Are Living Under My Front Deck Right Now

Image credits: cyberentomology

#9 A Hummingbird Chilled On My Phone Today

Image credits: andyman686

However, it isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. As people expand their urban environments, they massively affect the local wildlife population. Suddenly, animals are forced to flee their homes or look in other areas for food. Some fail to adapt altogether. Others are forced to change their entire behavior not only to survive but to thrive around people. (E.g., think of how wild raccoons live vs. suburban raccoons stealing food from trash cans.)

#10 This Random Koala Is On The Side Of My House

Image credits: Welpiminterested

#11 So This Happened To Me Today

Image credits: acnh_nanaland

#12 Bird Sitting On Its Own Info Board

Image credits: Yoskeh

Earth.org, reporting on the data collected by the World Wildlife Fund, notes that the most endangered animal in the world is the Amur Leopard. Between 2014 and 2015, barely 92 individuals were left in the world.

Now, this number is even lower, standing at a mere 84. These leopards are at risk mainly due to poachers who value their coats and boats to be sold to Asian medicine practitioners. Natural fires, as well as those caused by people, also destroy their habitats. Meanwhile, the changing climate means that they have less prey to catch.

#13 I Came Into My Kitchen To Find A Lizard Using A Sponge As A Raft In The Sink. I Live In New Mexico

Image credits: bassmansrc

#14 The Housekeeping Staff Found An Owl In The Room Of A Guest Who Checked Out Yesterday

Image credits: http9

#15 When You Spend Your Whole Life Rolling Your Eyes At Ignorant Foreigners Thinking You Have Kangaroos In Your Front Yard, And You Live In The Suburbs

Image credits: deejaymorgan

Rhinos are also incredibly vulnerable. Poachers and traditional Chinese medicine practitioners value their horns very much, which means that these animals are constantly under threat of being hunted down. Unfortunately, their horns are very lucrative.

The black rhino, Javan rhino, and Sumatran rhino are three of five rhino species that are among the most endangered species on Earth. For instance, there are barely 60 Javan rhinos left. Meanwhile, the black rhino population stands at 5.5k.

#16 Echidna We Rescued At Work. This Little Guy Got Stuck In The Bottom Of A Shallow Mineshaft. We Could Only See His Little Spikes Sticking Out Of The Dirt

It took us about 30 minutes to get him out because he could burrow faster than we could dig. However, we managed to relocate him to a safer spot.

Image credits: derpyderpderp27

#17 Thankfully I Saved This Little Guy From My Lawnmower Today

This is what my lawn looked like, so he was pretty lucky that I saw him.

Image credits: pbmax542

#18 The Stray Cat I’m Feeding Has Made Friends With A Hedgehog

Image credits: piggledy

Bornean and Sumatran orangutans are also in trouble. There were roughly 230k+ orangutans in the wild a hundred years ago. However, due to deforestation for palm oil, they’ve been losing their habitats. As it stands now, there are 104.7k Bornean orangutans and around 13.8k Sumatran orangutans living.

#19 Friend's Mom Nearly Had A Heart Attack When She Looked Out The Back Window This Morning

Image credits: downwarddawg

#20 Saw A Blonde Squirrel At The Park Yesterday

Image credits: Borats_Gypsy_Tears

#21 Urban Fox Doing A Full Sploot In My Sunny Scottish Garden

Image credits: oscarx-ray

There are no easy fixes. If you want to protect wildlife on a global scale, you’d have to change how people interact with nature so they can co-exist with animals.

That would probably include fundamentally changing the perspective on trade and economics: instead of limitless growth and profits, everyone would ideally aim for sustainable growth.

#22 Baby Skunk, Which My Son Found In The Driveway, Fell Asleep In My Hand Yesterday As I Returned It To Its Burrow

Image credits: Sweatyrando

#23 Rare "Silver Fox" At My House Today

Image credits: FlopAtop

#24 Albino Deer I Spotted Walking Into Work Last Week

Image credits: boBByHiLL-4prez

Meanwhile, we would all ideally change how we look at a life worth living, pursuing deep relationships instead of materialistic wants. That means consuming less, buying fewer products, changing our eating habits, and recycling more.

As a result, we’d need to destroy fewer natural habitats for farms, factories, mines, and homes. The more people vote with their wallets, the more big corporations will have to adapt and embrace a greener mindset.

#25 A Polar Fox Escaped From A Small Zoo In Germany But Got Tired On The Way. A Zookeeper Took Him Back. I Hope That Didn’t Disturb His Slumber

Image credits: LanChriss

#26 Found This Angry Unit In The Wild At Work Today. Wanted To Have A Piece Of Me Every Time I Walked Past The Tree

Image credits: Wild-Newspaper833

#27 I Found A Baby Rabbit While Mowing The Lawn

Image credits: TheDESTROYER976

At the end of the day, we’ll still see quick economic expansion so long as it’s profitable. If you’re angry about pollution, destroyed habitats, and climate change, then you can and should look at the problem as a political one.

Vote for political representatives who represent your values. Boycott companies and brands that go against what you believe in. Write to your current political representatives asking them to take a tougher stance regarding conservation.

#28 This Lizard Lives In My Birdhouse

Image credits: The_One_Who_Meeps

#29 Christmas Eve Visitor

Image credits: sarin77

#30 So, Some Bees Decided To Build A Hive Between The Window And The Shutters

Image credits: Flaneur_7508

Meanwhile, you can support wildlife organizations financially or by volunteering your time. However, on a more personal scale, you could help your local wildlife by wilding your garden if you have one or by being courteous and non-intrusive when you spend time in nature.

What’s the best or most unexpected wildlife encounter you’ve ever had, dear Pandas? How often do you see animals in your day-to-day lives? What do you do to support conservation efforts? Tell us all about it in the comments!

#31 This Fox That Lives At The Top Of My Granny's Hedge

Image credits: Baretal

#32 Our Friendly Magpie Visits Us Every Morning! This Morning, She Showed Up With A Mouthful Of Bugs. She Walks Right Up, Sits With Me, And Steals Little Bits Of Our Dog's Food

Image credits: islandpsychedelia

#33 We Fed Our Backyard Squirrel Once... Meet Frankie At Our Backyard Door Waiting For More Nuts

Image credits: chebstr

#34 Mom Had A Stranger On Her Deck This Morning

Image credits: china_rider

#35 I Was Dashing & Driving With My Windows Down When I Felt Something Hit My Head. I Pulled Over To See What Happened & Noticed A Bird Flew Into The Car As I Was Driving

Image credits: I_Only_Have_One_Hand

#36 Is This Armadillo Old Enough To Be On Its Own?

I know they're not ideal to touch, but this little guy was death-rolling through my yard, and I didn't want my pitbull to get him.

Image credits: blueberrybunny24

#37 Found A Baby Hawk At Work Today

Image credits: gaigemeister

#38 A Pine Marten I Saw While Walking Through The Woods

Image credits: Intagvalley

#39 A Wild Turkey Just Flew Through My Dad's Office Window

Image credits: leilavanora

#40 Woke Up To A Swan Peering Through My Front Door

Image credits: reddit.com

#41 The Wife Opened The Back Door And Immediately Gasped, Then Shut It. A Little Guy Had Been Stashed There By His Mommy For About 10 Hours Before She Came Back And Got Him

Image credits: BigBiffTannen

#42 A Sleepy Barn Owl Found Camouflage On My Back Porch

Image credits: MonkeyPic

#43 My Dad Had Some Hungry Visitors This Morning

Image credits: Yobecks

#44 40 Miles Offshore, A Wild Owl Appeared

Image credits: jonesindiana

#45 My Friend's Dad Found A Crab Holding A Donatello PEZ Dispenser

Image credits: soFREAKINboss

#46 A Random Pigeon Sat On My Head

Image credits: Marek14

#47 The Baby Buns In My Garden

Image credits: beth_withbangs

#48 Found A Friend. Millard Canyon Falls Trail, Angeles National Forest, California

Image credits: gio_dude17

#49 I Was Sitting At A Red Light When A Peregrine Falcon Landed On The Hood Of My Car

Image credits: Astrofluke

#50 This Morning, I Found A Bat Sleeping Inside The Screen Of My Window

Image credits: mugglesport

#51 This Bird Landed On My Shirt Today And Fell Asleep

Image credits: McJellyDonuts

#52 Found A Stray Cat In My Garage This Morning

Image credits: larson627

#53 We Had An Unexpected Guest Today

Image credits: Sugarkrill

#54 It’s Not Every Day You Come Home To A Fox Sleeping Under Your Bath

Image credits: egrgry

#55 Today I Met A Wild Goat Who Thought I Was Its Mom. My Girlfriend Took This Picture Of Us

Image credits: hpb92

#56 Yesterday At The Beach, A Wild Young Seal Came To Rest Beside Me

Image credits: SplifoX

#57 Found This Little Guy Running Across The Train Tracks. I Was Able To Get Him Into The Box So He Didn't Overheat In The Sun And Get Hit By A Train

Image credits: DR_SKITTLES1234

#58 These Parrots. Spotted In The Wild Near Phoenix

Image credits: GrayWalle

#59 There's A Wild Turkey In The Restroom

Image credits: SquashNut707

#60 This Groundhog Taunting My Dad By Sitting On His Trap

Image credits: avidpenguinwatcher

#61 I Met This Lovely Family During My Lunch Break Today

Image credits: grichardson526

#62 Found Two Of These Stinkerbelle Babies On A Busy Roadway While I Was Riding My Bike. Mom Was Probably Injured By A Car. I Moved Them To The Forest And Contacted Fish And Game Authorities

Image credits: Haunting-Job-4966

#63 Frog-Operated Vending Machine

Image credits: apolotary

#64 Little Frog Delivery

Image credits: Tetsou88

#65 I Went Into My Office The Other Day And Found A Lizard Basking On The Warm Ethernet Switch. The Next Day, I Found A Different Lizard In The Same Spot

Image credits: schizeckinosy

#66 My Grandfather Had A Red-Headed Woodpecker Land On His Leg

Image credits: A_Random_Sunstorm

#67 A Bird Made A Nest And Had Babies In Our Holiday Wreath

Image credits: ZKK161820

#68 A Hummingbird Made Her Nest On My Patio. Her Eggs Hatched Today On Mother's Day

Image credits: Mjzak1977

#69 Saw This On My Way Home From Work. Pulled Over Because I Thought They Were Cats

Image credits: NinetailsBestPokemon

#70 Vending Machine In Southwest Louisiana

Image credits: LadyBirdBoyette

#71 This Soccer Ball With All Of These Tiny Guys

Image credits: NOvaNOvaH2O

#72 Capybaras Invaded My Garden

Image credits: Fitgirllatina

#73 Found This Mom With Her Babies In A Hollow Tree Stump

Image credits: zworkaccount

#74 Friendly Squirrel

Image credits: blarblar3

#75 This Opossum, Who's Just Been Lying On This Fence All Morning

Image credits: Sasquatchjc45

#76 I Just Moved Into This House And There Is A Great Egret Who Just Came Into The House

Image credits: 5Dali

#77 This Guy Leapt Through A Window (Shattering It), And Entered My House

Image credits: theladymorganna

#78 Yes Kangaroos Do Roam The Suburbs In Australia. This Guy Was In My Front Yard This Afternoon

Image credits: AngeWasHere

#79 Lost Pigeon In The Middle Of The Pacific Ocean

Image credits: Return_Equivalent

#80 A Peacock Flew Past Me This Morning On My Way To Work

Image credits: Impossible-Ad-

#81 Sweet Little Puff Ball My Husband Spotted On His Hike

Image credits: BishopGodDamnYou

#82 Was Walking On The Beach For Some Exercise And This Tough Guy Beach Bully Decided That I Was Trespassing On His Territory

Image credits: zytukin

#83 Mine's Probably Not As Cute, But Dog With The Frog

Image credits: HisTopHat

#84 Saw This Blue Crawfish While Hiking Yesterday

Image credits: HighGuyFYI

#85 Bees Swarmed My Plant

Image credits: Splintercell581

#86 I Was Taking A Photo Of A Deer On A Trip, And Another Deer Came Out And Smooched It

Image credits: Mongolium

#87 Came Across This White Deer On My Travels

Image credits: Pocketfaded

#88 A Young Chameleon Was Found In My Yard

Image credits: MrSuperSaiyan

#89 This Fat Squirrel Is Eating My Pumpkins

Image credits: toometa4clever

#90 Bee Sleeping On A Honeycomb Doormat

Image credits: PoutineKio

#91 This Little Bird Hopped On My Finger

Image credits: Dude_Named_Chris

#92 This Deer Patiently Waited For Me To Leave Out Spent Grain From The Brew House I Work At

Image credits: dnsjsjdndkdndjamks

#93 Picture My Dad Sent Me This Morning

Image credits: Buppster87

#94 Squirrels On My Campus Learned To Steal Food From Vending Machines

Image credits: yumwaffle

#95 I Saw An Albino Squirrel In Washington, DC

Image credits: No_Stress_____

#96 Met These Dudes On Today's Hike

Image credits: chris3i

#97 A Ring-Tailed Possum Has Moved In And Refuses To Leave Through The Open Windows Or Back Door. I Called The Specialists, And They Said He'd Probably Move Out Soon Enough

Image credits: Dacruss

#98 I Caught A Very Angry Baby Opossum Living Under My Stove

Image credits: coreybeavers1999

#99 Some Coyote Pups At Work This Morning

Image credits: Conservative_HalfWit

#100 I Saw A Roadrunner At Work Today

Image credits: SubieYoshi

#101 Some Wild Baby Birds Randomly Landed On My Friend's Hand

Image credits: nal1200

#102 My Girlfriend Caught A Vending Machine Thief Red-Handed

Image credits: reddit.com

#103 No, I Don’t Own A Zoo, But It Feels Like It. Pictures Taken 2 Days Apart

Image credits: mycatsaidthat

#104 An Armadillo That's Not Afraid Of People

Image credits: matt_the_dayman

#105 I Found A Deer In A Makeshift Hut In The Woods

Image credits: reddit.com

#106 Caught And Rehoming This Cutie

Image credits: ChiefBigCanoe

#107 Last Year, I Had A Feral Kitty Under My Mower And Built A House. I Have A New Tenant This Year

Image credits: sidneyaks

#108 Saw A Wild Donkey While Hiking

Image credits: screamingfurby

#109 Security At Tesco Has Gotten A Bit Wild

Image credits: heavenhelpyou

#110 This Albino Porcupine I Saw In A Tree

Image credits: ingloriousbatheads

#111 I Found A Young Hedgehog Out In The Field During The Day. He's Off To The Vet, But I Love Him

Image credits: ThrustBastard

#112 This Possum And Her Baby Fell Down In Our Friend's Chimney

Image credits: kate9871

#113 My Cat Came Home With A Crayfish Claw Clamped To Her Paw

Image credits: RamblinManda

#114 A Hummingbird Built Its Nest On My Hanging Hummingbird Figurine

Image credits: lovemymaltese

#115 This Little Guy Took A Nap In My Hand For About 15 Minutes And Then Flew Away

Image credits: azzahir3

#116 This Morning, This Colorful Chick Came To My Balcony

Image credits: dragon-ball-zee

#117 Found A Lizard In My Garden And Picked It Up. I've Never Seen A Wild Lizard In The UK Before

Image credits: JD_256

#118 I Found A Bat On The Ground Next To A Bike Path

Image credits: JimmyMcTrade

#119 We Were Told That There Were Peregrine Falcons Nesting Somewhere At My Workplace. Today, We Had This Little Visit

Image credits: MewLalouve

#120 This Bird Just Flew Onto My Finger And Then Flew Away Again

Image credits: NatureLion

#121 I Found A Lizard Stuck In A Pickleball

Image credits: nintengrl

#122 A Bird Flew Into My Bedroom And Sat On My Closet Door

Image credits: slick-sharky

#123 Someone Decided Our Deck Was A Good Spot To Snooze The Day Away

Image credits: Nolte_35

#124 Met This Cute Guy On My Hike Today

Image credits: KettralWing

#125 A Bird Is Raising Its Babies In A Cigarette Bucket At My Workplace

Image credits: reddit.com

#126 My Work Opossum After I Gave Them Some Cookie

Image credits: corkgunsniper

#127 The Butterfly Hat I Bought Today Attracted An Actual Butterfly

Image credits: somethoughtsonlife

#128 This Slug Crawled Up My Leg Without Me Noticing

Image credits: LadyandtheRex

#129 I Saw A Wild Flamingo Today In Florida

Image credits: dazare

#130 Met This Little One Today

Image credits: Swannyone

#131 I Found A Tiny Starfish On A Thawed Scallop

Image credits: peanutbuttercooki