Mount Rushmore National Memorial is an iconic American monument nestled in the beautiful Black Hills of South Dakota. The faces of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Mike Edmisten
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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.
Every state in the United States has official animal symbols, but North Carolina takes it to the next level. Legislators in the Tar Heel State have named 14 different animals… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences has documented the different owl species found in the Sunshine State. Florida is home to five resident (year-round) owl species… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
A Nor’easter is a storm along the East Coast of North America. The name derives from the winds over the coastal area, which typically blow from the northeast. While these… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Key Points: OCEARCH is a global non-profit that seeks to learn more about the ocean’s apex predators and educate the public about the importance of these huge fish by tagging… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Key Points The shark was spotted using OCEARCH’s sophisticated tracking system. This nonprofit organization is committed to protecting the ocean’s apex predators and educating the public regarding their importance. The… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The Red Sea is an inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. It features a surface area of around 174,000 square miles. This seawater inlet is about 1,200… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The year's first grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horriblis) sighting in Yellowstone National Park was recorded on March 7, 2023. Interestingly, March 7 was also the date of the first 2022… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Rabies is a viral disease transmitted through contact with an infected animal's saliva or brain tissue. The virus infects the central nervous system and the brain. There is no test to… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Lilies come in an assortment of colors, including white, yellow, red, pink, purple, and orange. There are many choices if you’re on the hunt for orange lilies. To help narrow… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
A 1,200-pound great white shark was tracked very near the coast of the Florida Panhandle on March 6, 2023. Tracking Great White Sharks The shark, affectionately known as Maple, is… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
On February 18, 2023, a man walking on a Florida beach alongside his family made a stunning discovery: an animal that is 214 years old! Blaine Parker discovered a huge… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The giant panda bear (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is native to the mountains of central China. Panda Predators: These 6 Animals Kill and Eat Pandas infographic In the past, pandas were not… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Many lilies feature large, eye-catching blooms. While white is often thought of as the traditional color of lilies, the color palette for these flowers is much broader than that. Along… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
While all 50 states in the United States have official state animal symbols, many take it even further by adopting official animals of different classifications. Kansas has eight official state… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Tulip FactsBotanical nameTulipa spp.Common NameTulipPlant TypePerennial, bulbSoilRich, well-drainedBloom SeasonSpringToxicityToxic to both humans and pets Seemingly everyone loves tulips because, well, what's not to love? The colors are vibrant and dazzling. The… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Alaska is easily the coldest state in the United States. The average temperature in the state is 26.6°F. The next coldest state is North Dakota, with an average temperature of… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Tom Pouce Lily is named after a Dutch dessert of the same name. The most common types of lilies are often white, such as the famous springtime Easter lily. As… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) normally resides in sub-Saharan Africa. However, this three-ton semiaquatic mammal has become a problem some 7,500 miles from its native range in the Antioquia province of… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Tulips are one of the most welcome signs of spring. When colorful tulip blooms appear, it means that the gray doldrums of winter are over and a season of renewal… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Creeping plants that sprawl across the ground can take your garden display to the next level with minimal effort. Instead of using several plants to fill a space, creeping plants… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
North Carolina’s Outer Banks is a favorite vacation destination for tens of thousands of beachgoers each year. The area also happens to be a favorite hangout for great white sharks.… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The largemouth bass is Florida’s official state freshwater fish. More specifically, the Florida largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides floridanus) is the state's official freshwater fish. It is one of two subspecies… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
While roses have long been cherished for their lovely fragrance and romantic blooms, rose-growing was the bane of gardeners for generations. Rose plants were susceptible to pests and diseases. They… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
An annual Thanksgiving tradition gave a father/son duo yet another reason to be thankful. On their latest Thanksgiving fishing trip in Alabama's Mobile-Tensaw Delta, Keith Dees and his son, Huntley,… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
March is a transitional month in Ohio's meteorological calendar. Centerburg is the fortuitously-named city that lies in the exact center of the state. The average high temperature in Centerburg on… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The emerald green arborvitae and the Leyland cypress are popular trees often grown as windbreaks, privacy trees, or ornamental trees. There are some key differences, though. Knowing those differences can… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
A 1,000-pound great white shark is currently swimming off the coast of North Carolina's outer banks. The shark, named Miss Costa by OCEARCH, has been in North Carolina waters since… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Key Points: An “endangered” classification means a species is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range. Bats have the highest percentage of endangered species classifications… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The climate in Illinois provides fairly dramatic swings in temperatures throughout the year. Spring and fall often feature delightfully temperate conditions, while summer temperatures can make Illinoisans feel like they're… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Did you know that two out of every three homes in the United States have at least one pet? Dogs are the most popular American pets, followed by cats. Next… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
These are the seven official state animals of Pennsylvania. Most states in the United States have adopted an official state animal. Many go further than that, though. Along with an… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Key Points All vipers are venomous.The vipers of North America are all in the subfamily Crotalinae, commonly known as pit vipers. Vipers are found throughout the United States. Forty-six states… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Flapjack plants (also known as "paddle plants") are unique succulents that can add variety and interest to any display. The common name comes from the plant's appearance, especially when viewed… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Rose seems to love the warm waters of the Florida Keys. This 10-foot great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) keeps showing up there. If you’re wondering how a shark receives a… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The cheetah is most well-known as the fastest land animal on the planet. This extraordinary speed is the cheetah’s primary weapon in hunting its prey. Many of the cheetah’s preferred… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
North Carolina is home to some spectacular beaches, and apparently, a 10-foot great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) has taken a liking to these waters. The shark's name is Miss May.… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The United States is the third largest nation in the world in terms of land mass, trailing only Russia and Canada. With such a vast amount of real estate, the… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
A four-foot alligator was recovered from a lake in New York City’s Prospect Park on February 19, 2023. While New Yorkers often enjoy the native wildlife in one of the… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
It is tricky to declare a body of water a state's largest pond, mostly because people disagree on what constitutes a pond versus what qualifies as a lake. In fact,… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Johnson's Pond is only 11 feet deep - too shallow to be considered a lake. Maryland's largest pond is Johnson's Pond, located on the Delmarva Peninsula. The peninsula's name is… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
The monarch butterfly’s colorful appearance is instantly recognizable, but its distinctive coloration appears even before its wings do. The yellow, black, and white stripes of monarch caterpillars are wonders of… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
There is a widespread misconception claiming while black bears can climb trees, grizzly bears cannot. This is simply not true. Grizzly bears can, indeed, climb trees. So let's set the… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
“Climbing roses” is actually a bit of a misnomer. Roses are not true climbers, unlike clematis for example. Climbing roses are really just large rose bushes. But, these rose bushes… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Key Points: Breton, a massive 1,500-pound great white shark that was tagged by OCEARCH two years ago off the coast of Nova Scotia, has been seen multiple times recently off… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
A research team in Australia recently debunked a long-standing myth regarding snakes. Contrary to widespread assumptions, snakes are not deaf. Snakes can sense ground vibrations caused by sound waves. This… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Arizona's Theodore Roosevelt Lake (often simply called Roosevelt Lake) was created when Roosevelt Dam was completed on the Salt River in 1911, making it the oldest reservoir in the state. … Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Entomologists estimate there are 20 quadrillion ants on Earth. That equates to approximately 2.5 million ants for every person worldwide. These invertebrates are found everywhere on the planet except for… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Lake Tahoe was formed by volcanos, faulting, and glaciation over a span of 3 million to 4 million years, placing it among the 20 oldest lakes in the world. However,… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
Mountain lions once roamed practically all of the continental United States. That changed in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The United States economy was changing with the industrial revolution,… Read More
By Mike Edmisten 1 year ago
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