The first qualifying day for the 2023 Roland Martin Marine Center Series largemouth bass fishing tournament was a barnburner. The Florida tournament is held on Lake Okeechobee, long-known as a… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Mike is a writer at A-Z Animals where his primary focus is on geography, agriculture, and marine life. A graduate of Cincinnati Christian University and a resident of Cincinnati, OH, Mike is deeply passionate about the natural world.
In his free time, he, his wife, and their two sons love the outdoors, especially camping and exploring US National Parks.
The first qualifying day for the 2023 Roland Martin Marine Center Series largemouth bass fishing tournament was a barnburner. The Florida tournament is held on Lake Okeechobee, long-known as a… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
The northern cardinal was named the state bird of Ohio in 1933, becoming the first official animal symbol of the Buckeye State. It would be the only state animal symbol… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
The trout was designated as the state fish of Michigan in 1965, but a specific trout species was not named. There are five trout species native to Michigan: the brook… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) was designated as the national bird of the United States in 1782. This American symbol can be found in the skies of 49 states today.… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
The lion (Panthera leo) is commonly known as the “king of the jungle,” but that raises a question: can this king climb the trees in its kingdom? Yes, lions can… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Lancetfish look like something straight out of a horror movie. These deep-sea fish are very real, though, and they are currently washing up on Oregon beaches. And no one knows… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Jeremiah Elliott of Greenville, North Carolina made the catch of a lifetime on April 21 when he reeled in a 26-pound, 11.4-ounce bigscale pomfret. The fish had a 35.5-inch fork… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
A state fishing record was just broken in Pennsylvania. Well, it wasn’t exactly broken. The old record was shattered! Mike Wherley, of Fayetteville, Pennsylvania, caught a 66-pound, 6.4-ounce flathead catfish… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
The bobcat is a medium-sized wild cat that ranges from southern Canada to southern Mexico, with the majority roaming the continental United States. The bobcat is remarkably adaptable and can… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
How much does a cow weigh? With all the different breeds, it's more complicated than you might think. Humans domesticated cattle around 10,500 years ago. Farmers raise these ungulates worldwide… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Fireflies are a natural wonder. These beetles feature organs under their abdomens that light up through a chemical reaction that combines oxygen with a chemical called luciferin. This bioluminescence creates… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Oklahoma has a new state fishing record for redear sunfish. Cord Smith caught a 2-pound, 5.6-ounce fish on April 10 to set a new record in the Sooner State. The… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Most of the 43 species of dolphins like to stick together in groups, but what are those groups called? A group of dolphins is called a pod. Other less common… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
There are over 30 venomous snake species in the United States. How many of those species live in Texas and how many live in Georgia? One of these states is… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Lake Tahoe was formed over a period of three to four million years through a combination of volcanic activity, glaciation, and faulting. This lake that straddles the California/Nevada border is… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Key Points: An impressive specimen weighing 21.4 pounds set the Louisiana state record for red grouper. Angler Jackson caught the Louisiana record red grouper weighing 21.4 pounds. The angler used… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Fishing continues to be a favorite pastime in the United States. According to their 2022 Special Report on Fishing, the Outdoor Foundation reports that, while overall numbers are down from… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
A new world record for alligator gar is now pending. On April 18, Art Weston landed a behemoth alligator gar measuring 90 ½ inches long with a 45 ½ inch… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Key Points Two fish are tied for the record walleye in Indiana... However, they are not the largest ever caught in the state. In 2002, a man caught a larger… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
A Tennessee state fishing record has been broken in a big way. On April 13, Henry Dyer of Kingston, Tennessee, landed a behemoth 149-pound paddlefish on Cherokee Lake northeast of… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Key Points: A crappie's body is small enough to fit inside a frying pan — hence the categorization "panfish." The average crappie weighs .5-2 lbs, but a fisherman from Kansas… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
A 72-year-old man in a Florida RV park suffered a vicious alligator attack on April 14. The alligator bit off the man’s right leg. The attack occurred around 1:50 p.m.… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Key Points The shark, named Scot, was tagged by OCEARCH researchers on September 8, 2021, off of West Ironbound Island, Nova Scotia. This global non-profit organization tags and tracks various… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
The blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) is not only the largest creature alive today, but it is quite likely the largest creature ever to live. A mature blue whale can measure… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) was designated as the national bird of the United States in 1782 when it appeared with outstretched wings on the Great Seal of the United… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
The California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) became the official state amphibian of California when Governor Jerry Brown signed Assembly Bill 2364 on June 28, 2014. California Red-Legged Frog The California… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
A meteorite fell to the Earth on Saturday, landing in Maine near the United States/Canada border. One museum is so eager to get the fragments of this space rock that… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
“Arthur” debuted on the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) on October 7, 1996. The animated series is based on the Arthur Adventure book series, written and illustrated by Marc Brown. An… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
These 4 animals are listed as either threatened or endangered. Yellowstone National Park is home to a diverse group of animals, including the largest concentration of mammals in the lower… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
A 58-year-old man is in serious condition after a shark attack in Hawaii early on Easter Sunday. Mike Morita was surfing near Kewalo Basin off the southern shore of Oahu… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
As with every other state in the United States, Arkansas legislators have chosen various symbols to represent their state. Among many other examples, the state has an official gem (diamond),… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Colorado’s most common trees are fir, spruce, and pine trees. These conifers thrive in Colorado’s mountainous terrain. But what about palm trees? While you won’t see palms when you are… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Who doesn’t love palm trees? Watching the fronds of these trees gently wave in the breeze transports us to a tropical paradise, listening to the waves crashing against the shore… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Palm trees have a certain laidback, tropical vibe. These trees remind us of warm weather, sea breezes, and sandy beaches. It’s not surprising that many growers want to bring a… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
The Squash Bee has no stinger so it has a pain rating of zero. While Ohio is home to some 500 bee species, there is a small handful of bees… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Disney has brought over 2,100 animated characters to life since its inception in 1923. Characters such as Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daisy Duck, Pluto, and Goofy are so… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
The Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis) is classified as endangered on International Union for Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List, with 1,383 mature individuals remaining in the wild. What is being… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Located in Pennsylvania's Pike County, Raymondskill Falls are part of the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area shared by Pennsylvania and New Jersey. At 150 feet, Raymondskill Falls is the… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
The internet is filled with videos of giant panda bears (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). The most popular of these videos feature the black-and-white bears tumbling, rolling, somersaulting, and falling. Pandas are clumsy… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
“Turner & Hooch” was a 1989 movie starring Tom Hanks. (The movie was also rebooted as a streaming series in 2021.) In the film, Hanks played a detective, Scott Turner,… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
The waters of North Carolina’s Outer Banks are currently teeming with great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias). OCEARCH, a nonprofit organization dedicated to studying and preserving great white sharks, has tagged 88… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
On March 21, 2023, Hayden Lake in northern Idaho produced a new state record northern pike (Esox lucius). This monster pike weighed 40.76 pounds, and measured 49 inches long with… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
The world met Scooby-Doo for the first time in 1969 when the original Hanna-Barbera series, "Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!" debuted. The series regaled audiences with the exploits of four teenage detectives… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
No one considers Alabama a cold-weather state. Just the opposite, actually. Located in the Deep South of the United States, Alabama’s climate features mild winters and scorching hot, humid summers.… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
These beautiful animals have been chosen to represent The Garden State. Every state in the United States has official state symbols, including animals that represent the state's unique geography, culture,… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Anemone bulbs are commonly known as corms, rhizomes, or tubers, depending on the plant. They are not true bulbs because true bulbs contain next year’s plant. Corms, tubers, and rhizomes… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Palm trees immediately remind us of a tropical oasis. We see these trees and imagine we're sitting in the sand, sipping a Mai Tai, and listening to the waves lap… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
North Carolina's Outer Banks are currently filled with college students on spring break. Those spring breakers are not the only ones enjoying the coastal Carolina waters, though. On March 25,… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
Official state symbols have long been a sign of pride and tradition in the United States. Each of the 50 states has its own unique collection of official symbols, such… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago
The name “hippopotamus” comes from a Greek word meaning “water horse” or “river horse.” The hippo is not related to the horse, though. The closest living relatives of the hippopotamus… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 2 years ago