Wayne's Word Index Noteworthy Plants Trivia Lemnaceae Biology 101 Botany Scenic Wildflowers Trains Spiders & Insects Search  Animal Encounters   Trivia Notes   Alien Species   Humorous   Remember When   All Facebook Notes  Animal Encounters In Wayne's 40 YearTeaching Career Published Occasionally On Facebook  © Updated by W.P. Armstrong 29 July 2026  Listed By Posting Date In Chronological Order Animal Encounter #1 (22 November 2020) Many years ago I was examining a fig leaf at the Orangutan enclosure at the San Diego Zoo. The nearby Orangutan on other side of glass was pointing down with her finger. This was not a negative response by her. I soon realized that she was communicating with me--there was a gap at the base of the glass and she wanted my edible fig leaf! Animal Encounter #2 In the 1970s I had a racoon family living at my home when I started my career at Palomar College. Probably not a good idea, but I became very attached to them. They played in my pool and enjoyed Purina Cat Chow. Eventually, the open fields and tangelo orchards were replaced by high density housing developments and my lovely rural house became surrounded by asphalt, houses & traffic signals--just like the crowded, urbanized city in LA County from where I came. One night I noticed what looked like a rope wrapped around water hose behind my washing machine. It was an opossum hanging by its tail! Animal Encounter #3 Coatimundi encounter at Cave Creek Ranch in SW Arizona. It came up to me and was licking my leg. A man ran up to me and handed it a candy bar. Lucky for me because I didn't have a candy bar & didn't know what kind it liked! Animal Encounter #4 Javelina encounter at Cave Creek Ranch in SW Arizona. I was sitting at a picnic table eating breakfast and it actually joined me at opposite side of table. Unfortunately, I did not get table image during my escape from picnic table. I hope it enjoyed my bowl of cereal & toast! Animal Encounter #5 Western hemlock temperate rain forest near Ketchikan, Alaska. Tour guide reprimanded me for lagging behind to photograph this black bear mother & cubs. I didn't feel I was in any danger until guide told me about people that said those exact words who are no longer with us. Animal Encounter #6 I once followed a badger to its burrow in Death Valley. It had such a cute face. Then I remembered reading: "Never get too close to a badger in its burrow. Maintain safe distance of 20-30 feet." Animal Encounter #7 In 1983, I photographed the rare monkeyflower (Diplacus rupicola) that grows on steep limestone slopes of Death Valley. I heard a strange, scratching sound & a large chuckwalla crawled out of dark crevice near me. I truly enjoyed our chance meeting as we sat together in the sun on that marvelous day 43 years ago. All text material & images on these pages copyright © W.P. Armstrong