I like animals well enough, but it isn’t like I grew up wanting to be a veterinarian or zoo keeper. From what I can remember after over 1,000 posts for this blog, I have rarely written about animals, except for that one time I wrote a tribute to our late family cat. Because of this lack of representation for the creatures of this earth, I thought I would write a little bit about members of the animal kingdom today.

Dog – I read today that the world’s oldest dog recently passed away at 30 years old. The article noted that his three decades on the planet would make him over 200 in human years. I choose cats over dogs, but I still found this very remarkable. They said the dog’s owner bought him for his son’s fourth birthday. From that son’s perspective, could you imagine basically having the same pet since the time you can remember all the way up through your mid-thirties? I must admit, I don’t necessarily think the dog looks 30. I guess I would expect a much skinnier, sickly-looking, gruff type canine. Good for him on aging gracefully!

I think Maggie looks pretty good for 30.

Cat – This is me two years ago this month with my sister’s cat, Kiki. Doesn’t she look like an absolute beast? Don’t worry, she didn’t scratch out my eyes. However, I have to admit, I was a little scared.

This was taken two years ago. Talk about one fierce cat!

Alligator – When you live in the southeast, you are in gator country. South Carolina has its share of alligators and this spring they are making themselves known. In Myrtle Beach, gators have been surfacing from ponds at our many golf courses to enjoy some sun right off the fairways. This has proven a hit with tourists and, surprisingly, golf course managers don’t really seem to mind. The gators aren’t considered a threat and are free to watch people tee off. I saw a smaller gator in person at Coastal Carolina, but I wouldn’t mind seeing a more menacing one.

This is a photo of an alligator at the Witch Club Golf Course in Myrtle Beach (photo courtesy of the Sun News).

Raccoon – They are all over the country, but raccoons seem to be especially abundant here in the South, especially this time of year. Over the past couple weeks during the evening, without fail, I have witnessed them scurry from the entrance of my apartment complex to a wooded area across the street. They aren’t just hanging out where I live though. Last week on the way to work I counted six dead raccoons on the side of the road during my commute. Someone needs to tell them to look both ways!

Frog – I don’t have anything better, so here is a photo of a frog that was hanging out close to where my car was parked. In a warm climate such as South Carolina, amphibians thrive.

Super grainy photo I know, but this frog was right by my car on the sidewalk on Monday night.

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In another life I definitely wasn’t Jack Hannah but I hope you enjoyed my brief look at Brent’s Interactions with Wild Life. I will catch up with you tomorrow night for the Thursday Rundown. Don’t Blink.