Now imagine a seemingly barren patch of the Pacific Ocean transforming into a hub for these giants of the deep. That’s exactly what happens at the White Shark Café, a remote area halfway between Baja California and Hawaii. This unique location is a migratory hub for great white sharks, and researchers have been uncovering its mysteries for decades.

Located about 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles) west of Baja California and 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles) east of Hawaii, the White Shark Café spans a 250-kilometer (155-mile) radius. Originally thought to be a “desert” in the ocean, this area has since been found to host a thriving deep-sea food chain that supports these sharks during their migration.

Research led by Stanford University in 2002 revealed that sharks from coastal feeding grounds—like those near California and Guadalupe Island—travel for about 100 days at speeds of 1 meter per second to reach the Café. While there, the sharks perform frequent dives to depths of up to 460 meters (1,500 feet) every 10 minutes, with some dives during migration reaching a staggering 914 meters (3,000 feet).

But why do these sharks undertake such an extraordinary journey? Researchers suggest two main reasons: access to abundant food and, possibly, mating.

The consistent migration pattern—leaving coastal feeding grounds in winter, staying at the Café through spring, and returning in the fall—aligns with the breeding season of elephant seals, a key prey species. This seasonal behavior highlights the importance of the Café in the sharks’ lifecycle.

The White Shark Café not only underscores the complexity of marine ecosystems but also reminds us of the delicate balance required to protect these apex predators and their habitats. Would you explore this area—even if only virtually through maps? Share your thoughts below!

The post A Shark’s Secret Hideaway: Exploring the White Shark Café on the Map appeared first on Vivid Maps.

American national parks are each motherland to an average of 415 species of wildlife. Each species plays a crucial role in the park’s ecosystem, and every national park has its own distinctive characters, sights, and sounds. From miniature but tough pikas to trumpeter swans and Dutchman’s breeches, these wild stretches are full of wonders.

So, if you were going down to the national park today, which parks would you be most likely to run into amazement?

Casago examined National Park Service data to find out which national parks have the most wildlife and plants per 100 square kilometers (39 sq mi) and which have the most remarkable biodiversity overall.

Key Findings

• Congaree in South Carolina has the remarkable density of wildlife species, with 362 per 100 sq km.
• However, Biscayne in Florida has more overall: a total of 1,002.
• Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico boast 194 bird species per 100 sq km, the highest density.
• Cuyahoga Valley in Ohio has the densest plant biodiversity of all, at 935 species per 100 sq km.
• The Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee have the tremendous number of plant species overall: 2,278

All American National Parks Ranked by Plant Biodiversity

When it comes to plant life, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has it covered: straddling the border of North Carolina and Tennessee, this park is home to 2,278 plant species (more than any other park), among them the tulip poplar and red maple trees and the colorful witch-hazel flower. New River Gorge in West Virginia ranks second with 2,005 plant species, including the great rhododendron (West Virginia’s state flower) that blooms pretty white flowers in June and July.

All American National Parks Ranked by Animal Biodiversity

From bears to bald eagles, national parks across America are safe havens for many animals. But which national park, in particular, counts the most animal species? Biscayne in Florida takes the crown with 1,002 animal species. 95% made up of water, Biscayne counts 698 types of fish (including the endangered small-tooth sawfish) and 230 species of bird. Next up is the National Park of American Samoa (908 animal species), home to more fish species (818) than any other park.

The Top 20 American National Parks for Wildlife Spotting

The U.S. National Park System is a source of countrywide pride, preserving over 84 million acres of land and a rich variety of flora and fauna. But which of America’s 64 national parks offers visitors the best chance of spotting different animals in the wild?

The Casago team mapped the 20 national parks with the highest number of animal species per 100 square kilometers. Congaree National Park in South Carolina comes out on top (362 species per 100 square kolometers), home to animals including bobcats, wild pigs and endangered species, like the red-cockaded woodpecker. Three parks in California (more than any other state) also make the top 20.

The Top 10 American National Parks for Plant Lovers

There’s nothing more soothing to the soul than a stroll through lush, green nature, and national parks up and down America are perfect places to get your fix of flora. But which park, in particular, is home to the biggest variety of plants? The research reveals it’s Cuyahoga Valley in Ohio, where you can find 935 species of plants every 100 square kilomters – 21 of which are listed by the state as rare. They range from pretty daisy-like bloodroot flowers in the spring to the buckeye, Ohio’s official state tree.

The Top 10 American National Parks for Bird Watching

You don’t have to be a bird expert to find joy in watching birds of every size, song and color go about their daily lives. But if you’re on the lookout for the biggest array of birds to spot, head to Carlsbad Caverns, New Mexico – there are more bird species (194) here per 100 square kilometers than in any other national park in the country. Visitors to the park’s popular cave system may spot what’s considered the world’s largest colony of cave swallows nesting, swooping and diving at its entrance.

Methodology

To provide accurate information, Casago obtained the coordinates of all national parks in America from Wikipedia. They went a step further by downloading detailed records of all species present in each park from irma.nps.gov and park area sizes from Parks Expert.

For each national park, the Casago team got the number of amphibians, mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and vascular plants by counting records of approved species that fell under any of the six categories. To determine the total number of animals, the amphibians, birds, fishes, mammals, and reptiles were counted. Similarly, the total number of plant species was calculated by combining the vascular plants.

The Casago tean calculated the density of species in each park by determining the number of wildlife species (including all five categories of animals), bird species, and vascular plant species per 100 km².In addition, national parks with an area less than 100 square kilometers were excluded from the analysis.

The data was gathered in February 2023.

The post The Best National Parks In The United States For Wildlife Spotting appeared first on Vivid Maps.

Until recently, the thinking was that cats arrived in Europe only in Late Antiquity (approximately the 3rd to 7th century AD).

Nowadays, it has been determined that the Near Eastern wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) is the common ancestor of all domesticated cats, and that they were first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent about 10 thousand years ago.

In 2016, a team of scientists found domestic cat bones around 8,000 years old and confirmed the presence of domestic cats during the Roman period in the vast area of Europe stretching from the Mediterranean Sea to that is now northern Poland.

A spike in the Late Neolithic Eastern European house mouse population exhibits some nifty overlap with these ancient cat bones’ newly attached dates, though paleogenetic Dr. Danijela Popović notes that the cats’ appearance in Europe preceded that of the first farmers. According to him, cats domesticated themselves; they were attracted to the rodents that feasted off the harvests of the first farmers. They chose us, not the other way around. Consequently, those early farmers were grateful for this helpful form of pest control. As a result, thanks to humans, cats colonized Central Europe.

The oldest archaeological evidence for cat domestication is a 9,500-year-old burial, uncovered in Cyprus in 2004, in which a Paleolithic-era human was buried with their feline pet. There is spare evidence for the spread of cats throughout Europe before the Late Middle Ages. In Europe, cat bones only became abundant in the second half of the 13th century, which implies that cats had become popular at this time.

The conventional theory is that cats started to spread throughout the Mediterranean in Antiquity, journeying with Greeks and Romans. According to the map below, they would have hopped on board Etruscan, Greek, and Phoenician vessels to get to major Mediterranean islands like Sicily by 1700 BC, landed in ancient Greece about 1400 BC, arrive in republican Rome in about 500 BC, and make it to pre-Roman Iberia by 400 BC.

After that, cats became another thing the Roman Empire exported, just like wine and soldiers. They reached Britannia in about 100 BC and Germania at about the BC/AD milestone. Cats are affirmed in Ireland only from 900 AD, and in Scotland from 500 to 800 AD. During that time, the Vikings took cats on their long voyages across Europe, helping them spread even further.

A separate domestication taken place in Egypt around 3,500 years ago. This second population of cat varieties was likely tamer and more sociable. The Egyptians clearly revered cats. For instance, Bastet, the Egyptian goddess of love, had a cat’s head. Murdering a cat in Ancient Egypt could get you executed. And the cat necropolis of Beni-Hassan encloses some 300 thousand mummies of cats.

Recent analysis of cat DNA from 200 sources, including the Fertile Crescent and Egypt, showed the two distinct populations combined, resulting in the modern day domesticated cats. The blending of both breeds joined the cats’ usefulness with their friendliness, transforming them into a treasured companion for both agriculturists and dealers, who started taking them along on their drawn out trips across terrain and ocean.

These cats look similar to the various kinds of wildcats that used to exist (and still do), except that they’re less solitary and more tolerant of humans (and other cats). It was only in the 19th century that cat lovers started breeding the fancy breeds we know today, purely out of aesthetic reasons.

The post How cats migrated to Europe? appeared first on Vivid Maps.

Below is the world map of a geographic range of the 8 bear species.

Bear species differ significantly in their diet. Polar bears are mostly carnivorous, and giant pandas feed almost exclusively on bamboo, but the remaining 6 species are omnivorous. Generally, bears live alone, except when they court and when they are caring for their young. Although they have heavy builds and awkward gaits, they are adept runners, climbers, and swimmers.

According to the IUCN, six bear species are vulnerable or endangered, and even the least concern species, such as the brown bear, are threatened with extinction.

Here is the map of the bear population.

The brown bear (Ursus arctos) is a large bear species that lives in Eurasia and North America. North American brown bear populations are called grizzly bears, while the Kodiak bear subspecies inhabits the Kodiak Islands of Alaska.

In Eurasia, the bear lives in parts of Europe (Finland, the Balkans, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Scandinavia, Romania, the Caucasus), Central Asia, the Himalayas, China, Hokkaido, Scandinavia, Iran, and Anatolia.

Brown bears are still classified by the IUCN as a species of least concern, despite a reduction in their range and local extinction in some areas.

The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a hyper-carnivorous bear species. Its native range lies largely within the Arctic Circle, surrounding the Arctic Ocean and its circling seas and landmasses, which include the northernmost regions of Eurasia and North America. It is the largest extant species of a bear as well as the largest extant land carnivore. An adult male weighs about 350–700 kilograms or 770–1,540 pounds, while a sow (adult female) is about half that size. Although the brown bear is its sister species, the polar bear occupies a narrower ecological niche thanks to adapted body characteristics that allow it to move across snow, ice, and open water, and for hunting seals, which make up the majority of its diet. Their scientific name means “maritime bear” and derives from this fact.

The Asian black bear (Ursus thibetanus) is native to Asia and is referred to as the Asiatic black bear, moon bear, or white-chested bear. This species of bear is medium-sized and is well-adapted to living in trees. It can be found in southeastern Iran, the Himalayas, the northern parts of the Indian subcontinent, China, Taiwan, the Korean Peninsula, the Russian Far East, and the islands of Honshū and Shikoku in Japan.

The American black bear (Ursus americanus) is a species of medium-sized bear endemic to North America. It is the continent’s smallest and most widely distributed bear species. Depending on where it is and what season it is, the American black bear’s diet can vary a great deal, as it is an omnivore. It generally inhabits in forested territories.

The sun bear (Helarctos malayanus) is the smallest bear, standing nearly 70 cm or 28 inches at the shoulder and weighing 25–65 kilograms (55–143 pounds). This species of bear get its name from the cream-colored chest patch.

The range of the sun bear is bound by northeastern India to the north and stretches south to southeast through Bangladesh, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam in mainland Asia to Brunei, Indonesia, and Malaysia to the south.

The sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) or Indian bear is a bear species native to the Indian subcontinent that feeds on fruits, ants, and termites. The bear shares features of insectivorous mammals.

The spectacled bear (Tremarctos ornatus) is also known as the Andean bear or the South American bear. It is the only habitation species of bear native to South America. This spectacled bear is the closest relative to the giant panda.

The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) is a species of bear endemic to China. Though it belongs to the order Carnivora, the giant panda is a folivore, with bamboo shoots and leaves making up more than 99% of its diet.

According to the IUCN report, are approximately 1,590 individuals of giant panda species living in the wild.

The post World map of the bear population appeared first on Vivid Maps.

ABy analyzing all reported animal attacks across the United States since 2000, using data from Wonder.cdc.gov and Wikipedia, a new study from BetOhio.com reveals the states with the greatest chance of being in an incident with an animal.

California has experienced one of the greatest number of attacks in America (312), residents are estimated to have a 1 in 127,129 chance of being targeted. Texas is crowned the most fatal capital with 559 attacks, with Texas having a one in 53,842 chance of being involved in a dangerous animal encounter. Vermont, North Dakota, and New Hampshire have had no reports of animal attacks since 2000–making those within them state the safest.

Texas and California are America’s leading states for dangerous encounters

The report that analyzed data since 2000 found Texas was the leading state for attacks having over 200+ more than California, which came in second. Texas ranked the highest across all categories par contact with other specified venomous arthropods, bitten or crushed by reptiles and fish.

Texas had the highest number of contacts with hornets, wasps, and bees – witnessing 196 cases since 2000.

Florida (257), North Carolina (180), and Tennessee (165) make up the top five states for dangerous animal encounters.

The table below shows the top 15 US states in order of the highest animal attacks:

Vermont, North Dakota, and New Hampshire have had no reports of animal attacks in 20 years

Vermont, North Dakota, and New Hampshire have had no reports of animal attacks since 2000 – making those within them state the safest. Closely followed by Rhode Island (1) and Delaware (2) who have had little to no reports.

The table below shows the top 5 US states in order of the lowest animal attacks:

What are the chances of being involved in a fatal animal encounter?

Living in the wild, taking those hikes in the woods – from bear attacks to wolfs, what are the odds of you being involved in a dangerous animal attack when put against your state’s population?  

West Virginia leaves many out of luck, with the state coming in as the most likely, with your chances of fatality being one to 30271 when encountered by a dangerous animal.

Delaware has the highest odds par the states with no attacks, with one in 1062583 people having a chance of being involved in an attack.

Chances of being involved in a fatal attack:

The post New study reveals the states most likely to encounter a dangerous animal appeared first on Vivid Maps.

Dogs can harbor lots of parasites, bacteria, and viruses, so the risk from poop can be more than just a mess on your boots. But where is dog poop most commonly found?

Protect My Paws studied Twitter data to identify which cities and U.S. states tweet the most about abandoned dog poop.

Protect My Paws made a list of poop-related keywords (e.g., “dog poo”, “dog poop”, “dog litter”, “stepped in poo”, “poo bag”, “poo bags”, “dog fouling”).

Then, using Twitter API, they analyzed and extracted tweets featuring those words, removing locations other than the United States or the United Kingdom.

The team extrapolated data to determine the numbers for an entire year. Protect My Paws then compared the number of tweets with population figures and ranked the cities in both the U.S. and U.K.

Here are the results of a new study that reveals the dog waste hotspots of the U.S. and the U.K.

The United States of dog poop

According to the American Pet Product Association, there are an estimated 89.7 million dogs in the United States, making it a nation of dog-lovers. But where in the U.S. states are you more likely to stand in a steaming pile of dog poop?

The state of Colorado is known for its vivid landscape of mountains, forests, canyons, rivers, and desert lands. If you’re into natural, scenic beauty, Colorado is a haven – it also happens to be the dog poop capital.

The Top 10 U.S. States With The Most Dog Poop

Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania is often described as a world-class destination boasting great sports, art, food, and architecture; it’s easy to see why. The city’s postcard-like views, many outdoor activities, hiking sports, and 24-miles of riverfront trails make it an excellent city for those traveling with pets too. But a city that’s great for pooches is a city that’s no stranger to pooping. Of all the cities in the Unties States, Pittsburgh has more dog mess than the rest.

The Top 10 U.S. Cities With The Most Dog Poop

The United Kingdom of dog poop

According to Statista, there are 12.5 million dogs in the United Kingdom. That’s a lot of pooches to pet and walk and a lot of poop to clean up. The data reveals that the city of York, a beautiful and historic city known for its stunning architecture and rich medieval history, tops the list as the dog poop capital with more dog poo complaints per 1000k pop than any other city in the United Kingdom.

The Top 10 U.K. Cities With The Most Dog Poop

The post The Dog Poop Capitals, Mapped appeared first on Vivid Maps.

The map atlas below shows some well-known exotic and wild animals allowed or illegal to own in every state.

Maps of Private Animal Ownership Laws

Big cats

There are about 4 thousand tigers left in the wild, but specialists state there are more than that in captivity in the United Sties alone, even though many states have strict restrictions on keeping these animals in captivity. The map below created by Tech Insider shows U.S. states where people can legally own big cats.

Bears

The 6 U.S. states have no restrictions on keeping bears (Nevada, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Alabama, North Carolina, and South Carolina).

Monkeys

The yellow states in the map below created by Reddit user Logans_Beer_Run are the states in which it is legal to own monkeys.

Fox

In a small quantity of U.S. states, certain fox species are permitted as pets. Approximately 14 states allow the private possession of red foxes, 13 U.S. states allow the personal possession of fennec foxes, 11 states need permission to possess at least one fox species that it will enable, only 15 U.S. states allow some foxes species with or without a permit.

You can legitimately own a fox in Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Utah, Tennessee, and Wyoming. The map below shows these states.

Raccoon

It’s legal to own a raccoon as a pet in Arkansas, Delaware, Florida, Indiana, Nebraska, North and South Carolina, Michigan, Wyoming, Wisconsin, Texas, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, West Virginia.

Some U.S. states have additional regulations for owning a raccoon as a pet. For instance, in North Carolina, a veterinary must approve the animal before being carried into the state. In Arkansas, you cannot keep more than 5 raccoon animals at a time. The yellow states in the map created by Reddit user toddrjones show the states in which it is legal to own a raccoon.

Otter

The Asian clawed otter is the only species of otter that allowed owning in the United States because this species is federally illegal due to the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Asian clawed otters aren’t federally unlawful because they are not marine animals, but they are assuredly not legal to own in every U.S. state. The states in which it is legal to own an otter are colored yellow.

Skunk

Wild skunks are hardly good pets. That’s why this animal is currently legal to own only in 15 U.S. states.

Kangaroo

It’s illegal to keep a kangaroo as a pet in the preponderance of the United States. Only in Wisconsin, West Virginia, and South Carolina, it’s legal to own this animal without any permission.

Four U.S. states have no law restrictions on keeping dangerous wild animals as pets (Alabama, Nevada, North Carolina, and Wisconsin). Six states regulate having hazardous animals as pets (Alabama, Nevada, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Delaware, and Oklahoma). Twenty-one U.S. states outlaw all dangerous exotic animals, while the rest need permissions. Thirty-five states forbid holding hazardous animals as pets, with differing exceptions and demands.

Wild and Exotic Animal Laws by U.S. State

Alabama

Mongooses, Giant African snails, Tegus, Walking catfish, Coyotes, Foxes, Raccoons, Skunks, Wild rodents, Wild turkeys, Venomous snakes, Black bears, Mountain lions, Bobcats, Antelope, Pigs, and others, including native injurious wildlife species.

Alaska

No one can own, trade, import, or export live game animals in Alaska unless expressly permitted and listed in 92.029 (b).

Arizona

Golden moles, Tenrecs, Even-toed ungulates, Pronghorns, Antelopes, Bison, Buffalo, Cattle, Duikers, Gazelles, Goats, Oxen, Sheep, Water buffalo, American bison, Bison, Buffalo, Cervids, Deer, Elks, Moose, Red deer, Wapiti, Peccaries, Bears, Foxes, Ocelot, Raccoons, Servals, Skunks, Wolves, Weasels, Bats, American opossum, European hedgehogs, Gymnures, Moonrats, Wild hares, Chimpanzees, Gorillas, Macaques, Orangutans, Spider monkeys, Hutias, Beavers, Jumping mice, Coypus, Nutrias, Pocket gopher, Chipmunks, Marmots, Prairie dogs, Squirrels, Woodchucks, Desmans, Moles, Shrews, Shrew-moles, Anteaters, Armadillos, Sloths, Grouse, Pheasants, Partridges, Quails, Turkeys, Alligators, Caimans, Crocodiles, Gavials, Burrowing asps, Brown tree snakes, Boomslangs, Keelbacks, Bird snakes, Elapids, Cobras, Coral snakes, Kraits, Mambas, Sea snakes, Gila monsters, Mexican beaded lizards, Pit and true vipers, Rattlesnakes, Snapping turtles, Gopher turtles, Desert turtles, Giant or marine toads, Bullfrogs, Leopard frogs, Clawed frogs.

Arkansas

Mountain lions, Tigers, African lions, Bears, Apes, Baboons, Macaque, Non-native birds, Bats, Alligator snapping turtles, Ornate box turtles, Ozark hellbenders, Ouachita streambed salamanders, Collared lizards, Troglodytic and Endangered species.

California

Ferrets, Morro Bay kangaroo rats, Bighorn sheep (besides Nelson bighorn sheep), Northern elephant seals, Guadalupe fur seals, Ring-tailed cats, Pacific right whales, Salt-marsh harvest mice, Southern sea otters, Wolverines, Primates, Falcons, Hawks, Crows, Marsupials, Sloths, Hedgehogs, Wild rodents, Zebras, Mongooses, Gerbils

Colorado

Wildebeests, Wild hogs, Raccoons, Skunks, Hedgehogs, Opossums, Squirrels, Porcupines, Monk parakeets, Primates, Alligators, Crocodiles

Connecticut

Lions, Leopards, Cheetahs, Jaguar, Bobcat, Puma, Lynx, Ocelot, Wolf, Coyote, wild dogs, Bears, Gorilla, Chimpanzee, Orangutan, Hyaena, Kangaroos, Wallabies, and Hybrids.

Delaware

No specific animal species are forbidden.

District of Columbia

Banned all hybrid dogs with wolves, coyotes, jackals, and hybrid cats with margays or ocelots.

Florida

Baboons, Bears, Black caimans, Cape buffalos, Cheetahs, Chimpanzees, Cougars, Crocodiles, Drills and mandrills, Elephants, Gavials, Gelada baboons, Gibbons and siamangs, Gorillas, Hippopotamuses, Hyenas, Aardwolves, Jaguars, Komodo dragons, Leopards, Lions, Orangutans, Rhinoceros, Snow leopards, Tigers, Wild foxes, Skunks, Bats, Raccoons, Whitetail deer, and Venomous reptiles.

Georgia

Wallabies, Kangaroos, Shrews, Moles, Hedgehogs, Tenrecs, Bats, Monkeys, Apes, Sloths, Armadillos, Pangolins, Anteaters, Wild hares, Rabbits, Cabybaras, Cavies, Prairie dogs, Degus, Whales, Dolphins, Weasels, Ferrets, Foxes, Wild cats, Wolves, Wolf hybrids, Savannah cats and cat hybrids, Aardvarks, Elephants, Conies, Manatees, Dugongs, Most hoof stock, Rhinoceros, Warthogs, Hippopotamus, Hawks, Eagles, Vultures, Wild turkeys, Cuckoos, Owls, Skylarks, Bulbuls, Thrushes, White-eyes, Yellowhammers, Sparrows, Cape, and baya weavers, Queleas, Blackbirds, Monk parakeet, Java sparrow, Starlings, Mynas, Crows, Ravens, Crocodiles, Gavials, Alligators, Venomous colubrid snakes, Gila monsters, Beaded lizards, Giant and marine toads, Banded tetras, Piranha, Grass, silver, and bighead carp, Air-breathing catfish, Giant walking catfish, Snakeheads, Fresh-water stingrays

Hawaii

Hedgehogs, Hamsters, Ferrets, Snakes, Gerbils, Lions, Tigers, Cheetahs, Jaguars, Cougars, Leopards, Clouded leopards, Caracals, Ocelots, Margays, Servals, Bears, Wolves, Hyenas, Aardvarks, Elephants, Hippopotamus, Rhinoceros, Non-human primates, Crocodilians, Bloodworms, Hermit crabs, Freshwater crabs, Honeybees, Mexican jumping bean moths, Jellyfish, Freshwater clams, Octopuses, Salamanders, Sirens, Frogs, Cuban tree frogs, Snakes, Gila monsters, Nicaraguan freshwater sharks, Freshwater stingrays, Spotted and Banded carpet sharks, Lampreys, Bowfins, Dogfishes, Mudfishes, Eels, Electric eels, Freshwater morays, Silversides, Needlefish, Halfbeaks, Pike minnows, Piranhas, Cacchorros, Characins, Lizard fish, Pirarucu, Snake heads, Pike cichlids, Lion fish, Scorpion fish, Catfish, Hummingbirds, Pigeons, Doves, Crow, Finches, Grouses, Bulbuls, Sparrows, Orioles, Vermillion cardinals, Mynas, Starlings, Parrots, Parakeets, Parrolets, Caiques, Bats, Flying foxes, Wild hares, Porcupine, Dog, Cat and another hybrids with an illegal animal.

Idaho

It is prohibited to take endangered and threatened species, large predatory and big game wildlife, and hold them as pets.

Illinois

Bears, Lions, Tigers, Leopards, Ocelots, Jaguars, Cheetahs, Margays, Cougars, Lynx, Bobcats, Jaguarundis, Wolves, Coyotes, Hyenas, Flying fox, Mongoose, Meerkats, European rabbits, Indian wild hogs, Multimammate rats or mice, Raccoon dogs, Rosy pastors, Doiches, Java sparrows, Red-whiskered bulbuls, Snakeheads, Walking catfish, Ruffes, Silver carp, Bighead carp, Black carp, Round and tubenose gobies, Rudds, Stone morokos, Zanders, Wels catfish, Yabbies, Zebra mussels, Mitten crabs, Rusty crayfish, Filler shrimp, Golden mussels, Brown tree snakes and Venomous medically important reptiles.

Indiana

Indiana doesn’t explicitly prohibit having any animals as pets.

Iowa

Wild canines and cats, Bears, Pandas, Hyenas, Aardwolves, Rhinoceros, Elephants, Non-human primates, Marmosets, Tamarins, Monkeys, Lemurs, Galagos, Bushbabies, Great and Lesser apes, Gibbons, Indris, Sifakas, Tarsiers, Crocodiles, Alligators, Caimans, Gharials, Water, and Crocodile monitors, Mole vipers, Burrowing asps, Beaded lizard, Gila monster, Reticulated python, Cobras, Mambas, Coral snakes, Kraits, Adders, Vipers, Rattlesnakes, Copperheads, keelbacks, Cottonmouths, Sea snakes, Anaconda, African rock python, Russian, European and Wild boars, Vipers and Hybrids.

Kansas

Dangerous wildlife species: Lions; Tigers; Leopards; Jaguars; Cheetahs; Mountain lions; Bears and Hybrids. Invasive species: Monk parakeet; Asian raccoon dog, Walking catfish; Silver, Bighead, Crucian and Black carps; Wels catfish; Eurasian minnow; Stone moroko; Snakehead; Round goby; White, European and Nile perches; Roach grandfathered; Amur sleeper; Zander; Zebra and Quagga mussels; New Zealand mudsnails; Diploid grass carp; Marbled crayfish; Common yabbies;
Commensal rodents; Gophers; Ground squirrels; Kangaroo and Wood rats; Porcupines; Prairie dogs; Woodchucks; Non-native venomous snakes.

Kentucky

Alligators, Caimans, Crocodiles, Gavials, Gila monsters, Beaded lizards, Komodo dragons, African buffalo, Bears, Elephants, Hippopotamus, Rhinoceros, Cheetahs, Clouded leopards, Lions, Jaguars, Leopards, including snow leopards, Tigers, Honey and Old World badgers, Wolves, Wolverines, Hyenas, Gorillas, Baboons, Drills, Mandrills, Sea and Coral snakes, Copperbelly water snakes, Cobras, Adders, Vipers, Venomous exotic snakes except for hognose snakes, Wild turkeys, Alligator snapping turtles and hybrids; non-native blackbirds, Baya weavers, Cape sparrows, Non-native cowbirds, Non-native cuckoos, Queleas, Fieldfares, Flying foxes,
Fruit bats, Foxes, Gambian giant pouched and Multimammate rats, Giant, marine, and cane toads, Tongueless and African clawed frogs, Hawaiian rice bird or spotted munias, Jackrabbits, Java sparrows, Madagascar weavers, Mistle thrushes, Monk or Quaker parakeets, Mute swans, Nutrias, Prairie and Raccoon dogs, San Juan rabbits, Skylarks, Song thrushes, Starlings (except Indian Hill mynahs), Suricates and slender-tailed meerkats, Weaver finches (except Passer), White-eyes, Wild European rabbits, Yellowhammers, Wild and feral pigs, Eurasian and Russian boars, Domestic or wild hybrids; Endangered species.

Louisiana

Dangerous wild nature species: Black, grizzly, and polar bears; Red and gray wolves; Coyotes; Foxes; Cougars; Tigers; Lions; all species of Leopards; Jaguars; Cheetahs; and all subspecies or hybrids of all these big cats. Endangered and threatened species: Mississippi gopher frogs; Gopher tortoises; Green sea, Hawksbill sea, Kemp’s ridley sea, Leatherback sea, Loggerhead sea, and Ringed sawback turtles.

Maine

Monk parakeets, Mute swans, Burrowing parrots, Laughing kookaburras, Austral and Alender-billed, Anatidae, Hornbills, Cassowaries, Emus, Storks, Pigeons, Doves, Rollers, Crows, Chachalaca, Guans, Cussarows, Cranes, Turacos, Pheasants, Flamingos, Trumpeters, Toucans, Penguins, New Zealand parrots, Starlings, Bearded barbets, Birds of prey, Shorebirds, Bustards, Pelicans, Owls, Ostriches, Prevost’s squirrels, Hoffman’s two-toed sloths, Brazilian porcupines, Black-tailed prairie dogs, Red-rumped agouti, Long-nosed armadillos, Pronghorn family, Mountain beavers, Bovids, Canids, Beavers, Cervids, Elephants, Quidae, Felids, Giraffes, Hippopotamus, Hyenas, Aardwolves, Kangaroos, Wallabies, Mustelids, Walrus, Eared and true seals, Rhinoceros, Pigs, Tapirs, Viverrids, Crested porcupines, Gray short-tailed opossum, Cetacea, Bats, Primates, Sea cows, Aardvark, Kinkajou, Southern tamandua, Asiatic linsangs, Deer, Moose, Wild turkeys, Hybrids

Moreover, some captive-bred animals cannot be kept as home pets: Western dwarf clawed frogs; African clawed frogs; Golden, Yellow, Green, Brown and Bernhard’s mantellas; Puerto Rican boas; Grand Cayman blue iguanas; Eastern indigo and Atlantic Salt Marsh snakes; Eunectes; Elapidae; Beaded lizards; Gila monsters; Viperidae; Gopher tortoises; Isla Todos Santos king and Louisiana pine snakes; Amethystine, Scrub, Indian, Southern African rock, Northern African rock and Reticulated pythons; Crocodilians; Chinese softshell tortoises; Common box, Gulf Coast box, and Three-toed box turtles; Pond and Red-eared sliders.

Rare and endangered species: New England cottontails; Little brown, Easter small-footed and Northern long-legged bats; Least terns; Golden eagles; Piper plovers; Sedge wrens; Grasshopper sparrows; Roseate and Black terns; American pipets; Peregrine falcons; Black-crowned night herons; Least bitterns; Black racers; Box and Blanding’s turtles; Redfin pickerels; Six-whorl vertigos; Edward’s and Hessel’s hairstreaks; Katahdin arctics; Juniper hairstreaks; Rapids clubtails; Cobblestone tiger beetles; Frigga fritiliaries; Northern bog lemmings; Razorbills; Harlequin ducks; Arctic terns; Upland sandpipers; Common gallinules; Great cormorants; Short-eared owls; Barrow’s goldeneyes; Leatherback, Atlantic ridley, Loggerhead, Spotted and Swamp turtles; Swamp darters; Tidewater muckets; Yellow lampmussels; Brook floaters; Whales; Shortnose sturgeons.

Maryland

Felines and hybrids more than 30 pounds; Canines and hybrids; Foxes; Skunks; Raccoons; Non-human primates; Lemurs; Monkeys; Chimpanzees; Gorillas; Orangutans; Marmosets; Loris; Tamarins; Bears; Caimans; Alligators; Crocodiles Poisonous snakes (Hydrophidae, Elapidae, Viperidae, Colubridae, and Crotolidae families); Cervids; Eastern tiger, Green, Jefferson and Wehrle’s salamanders; Eastern hellbenders; Mudpuppies; Eastern narrow-mouthed toads; Carpenter, Mountain chorus,
Barking tree frogs; Northern map, Leatherback sea, Loggerhead sea, Green sea, Atlantic hawksbill, Bog, and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles; Spiny softshell; Northern coal skinks; Copperheads.

Massachusetts

Threatened or endangered listed in the Red Books.

Michigan

Wildlife species: Cheetah; Cougar; Jaguar; All leopards; Lion; Panther; Tiger; Bears; Hybrids of wolfs and big carnivore cats. Native endangered species: Eastern massasaugas; Queen, Copper-bellied water, Eastern fox and Kirtland’s snakes; Wood, Eastern box, Butler’s garter, Spotted, Smooth green and Blanding’s turtles; Grey rat snakes (except for common albino colors); Boreal chorus frogs; Western lesser sirens; Mudpuppies; Fowler’s toads; Pickerel and Blanchard’s cricket frogs; Northern dusky and Northern two-lined salamanders; Mink frogs; Six-lined racerunners; Marbled and Small-mouth salamanders.

Minnesota

Felines (except domestic cats) and hybrids, Bears, Non-human primates, Deer, Wolves, Mourning doves, Bats, Snakes, Salamanders, Lizards, White-tailed and mule, deer, Moose, Elks, Antelopes, Caribou, Game birds, Gray and Fox squirrels, Cottontail rabbits, Snowshoe hares, Jackrabbits, Raccoons, Lynx, Bobcats, Short-tailed and Long-tailed weasels, Red fox and gray foxes, Fishers, Pine martens, Opossum, Badgers, Cougars, Wolverines, Muskrats, Minks, Otters, Beavers, Lake and shovelnose surgeons, American eels, Black and white crappies, Largemouth, rock, smallmouth, white and yellow bass, Sunfish and hybrids, Muskellunges,
Northern pikes, Burbots, Blue, channel, and flathead catfish, Saugers, Walleyes, Yellow perch, Paddlefish, Atlantic, chinook, coho, kokanee, and pink salmon
Brook, brown, lake, and rainbow trout, Ciscos, Lake whitefish, Carp, Buffalo, and Sucker fish, Sheepsheads, Bowfins, Gars, Goldeyes, Bullheads, Minnows, Leeches, Alewives, Chubs, Coregoninae, Rainbow smelt, Frogs, Turtles, Clams, Mussels.

Mississippi

Alligator.

Missouri

Large and predatory animals: Tigers, Lions, Jaguars, Snow and Clouded leopards, Cheetahs, Big cat hybrids, Non-native bears.

Montana

Bears, Big cats, Skunk, Foxs, Bats, Raccoons, African clawed frogs, North American bullfrogs, Rusty and Walking crayfish, Bighead, black, grass, and silver carp, Eurasian ruffes, Round gobies, Snakeheads, White perch, Zanders, African natal rats, Multimammate mice, Argali sheep, Brush-tailed and Short-tailed possum, Hyenas, Aardwolves, Nutrias, Small spotted genets, Southern flying squirrels, Virginia opossum, Transcapian urial sheep, All monkeys and apes, New Zealand mudsnails, Quagga and Zebra mussels, Alligators, Crocodiles, Caimans, Red-eared sliders, African rock, Amethystine, Burmese and Reticulated pythons, Boomslangs, Green anaconda, Coral snakes, Cobras, Kraits, Mambas, Non-native Viperidae, California and Gambrel’s quail.

Nebraska

Wolves, Skunks, Felines (excluding domestic cats), Bears, Hawks, Owls, Eagles, Jackrabbits, Short-horned lizards, Asian raccoon dogs, Whitetailed, Mule, and Red deer, Wild pigs, Bighorn and thinhorn sheep (in some counties), and endangered animal species.

Nevada

Wild hogs, Red deer elk and Wapiti, Axis, Rusa, Sambar, Sika, Roe and white-tailed deer, Moose, Reedbucks, Oryxes and gemsboks, Addaxes, Blesboks, topi and bonteboks, Raccoon and Wild dogs, Mongooses, Meerkats, Wild European rabbits, Multimammate rats, bats, Nutrias, Coyotes, Foxes, Raccoons, Skunks, Hartebeests, Wildebeest and gnus, Chamois, Tahrs, Ibex, wild goats, turs and markhors, Barbary and Mouflon sheep, urials, bighorn and argali, Alligators and Crocodiles, Gharials, Bird snakes, Boomslangs, Keelbacks, Burrowing asps, Coral snakes, cobras, kraits, mambas, Australia elapids, Pit vipers and true vipers (excluding indigenous species), Snapping turtles, Giant or marine toads, Clawed frogs, Pink starlings, Rosy pastors, Red-billed dioches, Red-whiskered bulbuls
Lampreys, Freshwater stingrays, Freshwater sharks, Bowfins, Gars, Herrings and shads (excluding threadfins and gizzards), European whitefish, Mexican banded tetras, Piranhas, South American parasitic catfish, White perch, Freshwater drums, Grass carp, Pike topminnows, Snakeheads, Walking catfish, Tigerfish, Sticklebacks, Tilapia, Nile perch, Goldeyes, Carps, Rudds, Northern pikes, Asian swamp eels, New Zealand mudsnails, African giant snails, Zebra and quagga mussels, Crayfish, Asiatic mitten crabs.

New Hampshire

Armadillos, Anteaters, Badgers, Barbary sheep, Bears, Beavers, Wild boars, Bobcats, Chipmunks, Deer, Elephants, Kangaroos, Kinkajous, Lemmings, Leopards, Lions, Lynx, Mongooses, Mouse, Muskrat, Virginia opossum, Prairie dogs, Porcupines, Primates, Raccoons, African pouched rats, Shrews, Skunks, Squirrels, including Flying squirrels, Tigers, Voles, Wallabies, Water buffalo, Weasels, Wolverines, Wolves, Zebras, Zebra mussels, Spiny and Fishhook waterfleas, Non-indigenous catfish, Asiatic clams, Walking catfish, White amurs; Grass, Black, Bighead and Silver carps, European rudds, Round and Tubenose gobies, Ruffes, Snakeheads.

New Jersey

Elephants, Rhinoceros, Lions, Leopards, Cheetahs, and any African species, Tigers, Pangolins, Marine turtles, Rays, Monkeys, Baboons, Apes, Bears, Nondomestic dogs and cats, Gila monsters, Coral snakes, Cobras, Alligators, Caimans, Crocodiles, Gavials, Ring-necked parakeets, Monk parakeets, Patagonia conures, Ground squirrels.

New Mexico

Felines, Crocodiles, Wolves, Alligators, Primates but many New Mexico municipalities have much more stringent exotic animal legislation than the state level.

New York

Non-human primates; Prosimians; Wild dogs; Big cats and hybrids; Bears; All venomous snakes; Burmese, Reticulated, African rock, Australian amethystine, and Indian pythons; Green and Yellow anaconda; Asiatic, Nile, Whitethroat, Black throat and Crocodile monitors; Komodo dragons; Crocodiles; Racoon dogs; Wolfdogs; Coyotes.

North Carolina

Cities and counties regulate the ownership of dangerous wild nature animals.

North Dakota

Skunks, Racoons, and Venomous reptiles.

Ohio

Dangerous species: Hyenas; Pure grey wolves; Lions; Tigers; Jaguars; Leopards; Cheetahs; Lynx; Cougars; Caracals; Servals; Cat hybrids; Bears; Elephants, Rhinoceros; Hippopotamus; Cape buffalo; African wild dogs; Komodo dragons; Alligators; Crocodiles; Caimans except for dwarfs; Gharials; Non-human primates except lemurs; Golden, Golden-rumped, and Black-faced lions; Cotton-top, Emperor, Saddlebacked, black-mantled and Geoffrey’s tamarins; Southern and northern night monkeys; Dusky titi and masked titi monkeys; Muriquis, Goeldi’s monkeys; White-faced, black-bearded, white-nose bearded, and monk sakis;
Bald and black uakaris; Black-handed, white-bellied, brown-headed, and black spider monkeys; Common woolly monkeys; Red, black, and mantled howler monkeys. Invasive species: Walking catfish; Diploid white amur; Diploid grass, Silver, and Black carp; Ruffes; Round gobies; Snakeheads; White perch; Three spin sticklebacks; Sea lampreys; Eastern banded killifish, or hybrids; Raccoon dogs; Marrons; Yabbies; Zebra and Quagga mussels, Rudds.

Oklahoma

Native bears and wild cats over 50 pounds.

Oregon

Non-human primates; Bears (except the America Black Bear); Non-indigenous canines and felines which are not domestic or domestic hybrids; Skunks; Crocodilians.

Pennsylvania

The state doesn’t explicitly list exotic pets that are illegal to own.

Rhode Island

Wild nature carnivores and hybrids; Mute swans; Mudpuppies; American bullfrogs; Zebra mussels; Spiny and Fishhook waterfleas; Non-indigenous crayfish; Asiatic clams; Grass carp; White amurs; Rudds; Walking catfish; Snakeheads; Black carp; Round and Tubenose gobies; Ruffes; Eastern American toads; Eastern red-backed salamanders; Eastern spadefoots; Four-toed salamanders; Fowler’s toads; Gray treefrogs; Marbled, Northern dusky salamanders; Wood, Northern green and Northern leopard frogs; Northern spring, Northern two-lined and Spotted salamanders; Pickerel frogs; Red-spotted newts; Spring peepers; Wood, Spotted, Eastern box, Eastern musk, Eastern painted, and Eastern snapping turtles; Northern diamond-backed terrapins; Common ribbon, Common water, Eastern garter, Eastern hog-nosed, Eastern milk, Eastern rat, Northern brown, Northern red-bellied, Northern ring-necked, Smooth green, and Timber rattle snakes; Northern black racers; American beavers; American minks; Big brown, Silver-haired and Small-footed and Tri-colored bats ; Black bears; Bobcats; Common muskrats; Eastern chipmunks; Eastern cottontails; Eastern coyotes; Eastern gray squirrels; Eastern moles; Eastern red, Little brown, Gray, Fisher, Northern long-eared and Hoary bats; Hairy-tailed moles; Long-tailed weasels; Masked shrews; Meadow voles; Moose; New England cottontails; Northern short-tailed shrews; Porcupines; Raccoons; Red foxes; Red squirrels; River otters; Short-tailed weasels; Smoky shrews; Snowshoe hares; Southern bog lemmings; Southern flying squirrels; Southern red-backed and Woodland voles; Star-nosed moles; Striped skunks; Virginia opossum; Water shrews; White-footed and Woodland jumping mice; White-tailed deer
Woodchucks; mice.

South Carolina

Lions, Tigers, Leopards, Jaguars, Cheetahs, Snow leopards, Non-native bears, Chimpanzees, Gorillas, Orangutans.

South Dakota

Raccoon dogs and free-roaming wildlife animals.

Tennessee

Black bears, White-tailed deer, Wild turkeys, Big cats, and hybrids.

Texas

Wolves, Bats, Diamondback terrapins, Indigenous birds, Endangered species as well as
Invasive species fish and shellfish.

Utah

Tigers, Lions, Cougars, Jaguars, Leopards, Cheetahs, Ocelots, Lynx, Servals, Bison, Bighorn sheep, Elks, Mule deer, Moose, Pronghorn antelopes, Rocky mountain goats, Albert’s squirrels, Prairie dogs; Merriam kangaroo and Deser rats, Ringtails; Cottontail and snowshoe rabbits, Weasels, Skunks, Martens, Minks, Black-footed ferrets, Banded Gila monsters, Desert iguanas, Glen Canyon and Western chuckwallas, Mojave Desert sidewinders; Mojave rattle, Desert glossy snakes, Sonoran lyre, Speckled rattle, Utah milk, and Utah mountain kingsnakes; Desert tortoises; Coyotes; Wolves; Dingos; Foxes; Jackals; African wild dogs; Bears; Bats; River otters
Badgers; Primates; Venomous fish; Piranhas.

Vermont

Feral swine, Wild boars, Wild and Ferals hogs, Wild and Old world swine, Feral pigs, Razorbacks
Eurasian wild and Russian wild boar.

Virginia

Virginia doesn’t explicitly list exotic pets that are illegal to own.

Washington

Dangerous wild animals: Lions, Tigers, Captive-bred cougars, Bobcats, Jaguars, Cheetahs, Leopards, Snow leopards, Clouded leopard, Wolves, Bears, Hyenas, Rhinoceros, Non-human primates, Elephants, Elks, Atractaspidae, Dispholidus, Cobras, Mambas, Kraits; Coral, Australian tiger, and Sea snakes; Water and
Crocodile monitors; Rattlesnakes; Cottonmouths; Bushmasters; Puff adders; Gaboon vipers; Crocodiles; Alligators; Caimans; Gavials. Invasive species: Mute swans
Mongooses, Wild boars, Javelinas, Chamois, Wild goats, Wild sheep, Wildebeests, Reindeer, Fallow deer. Disease-carrying species: Bats, Skunks, Foxes, Raccoons, and Coyotes.

West Virginia

Dangerous animals: Hyenas, Gray wolves, Lions, Tigers, Jaguars, Leopards, Cheetahs, hybrids of big cats (including Lynxes and Cougars), Bears (except black bears), Elephants, Rhinoceros, Hippopotamus, Cape buffalo, African wild dogs, Komodo dragons, Raccoon, Fox skunk, Non-human primates (except Lemurs; Uakaris; Tamarins; Sakis; Muriquis; Night, Titi, Spider, Common wooly, Howler and Goeldi’s monkeys).

Wisconsin

Cougars; Bears; Wild and Mute swans; Wolves and hybrids; Non-native wild ducks, geese, and swans; Wild or native amphibians and reptiles.

Wyoming

Wolves and wolf hybrids, Big or trophy game, Black and Grizzly bear, Mountain lions, Gray wolves.

The post Exotic Animal Laws by U.S. State Mapped appeared first on Vivid Maps.

Each dog has an individual character. But some breeds share distinctive traits.

Science has revealed how DNA may form around 15 percent of a dog breed’s character: the Labrador is most expected to get worried when you cease working from home; the Border Collie and the poodle are among the diverse breeds assort as “eager learners.”

But how about naughtiness? Protect My Paws questioned if any of these breeds of good boys are – you know – better than the others.

The team at Protect My Paws took a comprehensive list of dog breeds from Dog Time and analyzed posts featuring each dog breed along with good or bad dog Instagram hashtags (#gooddog, #cleverdog, #cleverpuppy, #baddog, #naughtypuppy, #cheekydog, #muddydog).

Then they made a comprehensive list of dog breeds and analyzed Instagram posts featuring a dog breed and any of those hashtags. (87,886 posts in total.) The team then calculated the proportion of good to bad hashtags for each breed to identify the top naughty and well-behaved breeds. 43,367 geotagged posts were analyzed to create the maps. Here’s a preview of the top 10 in each category:

They also took the even number of posts with locations (17,150 for both good and bad hashtags) and scored the cities, US states, and countries with the proportion of good/bad hashtags. The cities and countries with less than 10 unique users who posted were dropped.

World map of countries with the naughtiest dogs

According to Pet Secure, South Africa places tenth in the list of top 20 dog populations globally. Despite strict lead laws and pet-parent responsibilities, of all the country’s pooch-related posts, 87.85 percent of them featured a naughty puppy or cheeky dog.

Countries by percentage of posts with bad and good dog Instagram hashtags

Cities by percentage of posts with bad and good dog Instagram hashtags

The U.S. states with bad and good dog Instagram hashtags

With an estimated 89.7 million dogs, according to the American Pet Products Association, it’s safe to say that America is a country of dog-lovers. But which U.S. states are home to the naughtiest dogs? The ration of bad-dog hashtags on Instagram across each state reveals that Kansas is the home of mischievous mutts.

U.S. states by percentage of posts with bad and good dog Instagram hashtags

Key Findings

• The best-behaved dog breed on Instagram is the Korean Jindo Dog, with 75.86 percent positive behavior tags.
• Instagram’s naughtiest dog breed is the Japanese Spitz, with 86.67 percent of Spitz behavior posts describing bad behavior.
• South Africa is a country to the naughtiest dogs – 87.85 percent of dog behavior Instagram posts are negative.
• Ukraine is the home of good boys, with a 96.72 percent good behavior record.
• Moscow (Russia) is the city with the best boys (98.41 percent positive).
• Canberra (Australia) is the city with the naughtiest dogs (99.74 percent negative)

The post The Naughtiest and Best-Behaved Dog Breeds, According to Instagram appeared first on Vivid Maps.

There are thousands of funny puppy names worldwide that might capture the character of your new dog.

Bella and Max are trendy dog names in Australia, but you’ll find many more Coco’s and Sora’s in Japan. So how do the rest of the world name their four-legged friends?

The pet insurance team at Budget Direct tried to get the most popular ones in every nation and mapped them out to assist you in finding one you won’t mind shouting in the street.

To determine which dog names are the most popular globally, the pet insurance team at Budget Direct researched the top 10 male and female dogs names in every nation using data from public dog registers, animal welfare charities, and animal insurance providers. The Budget Direct team then cross-referenced these lists to identify the most popular male and female names worldwide.

The dog names were scored according to their rank within each country (1st = 10 points, to 10th = 1 point). These scores were tallied across countries to determine the most popular male and female dog names globally.

Here are the most popular male and female dog names in each country, mapped:

The most popular male dog names worldwide

The most common male dog name worldwide is Max.

Top 10 most popular male dog names

The most popular female dog names worldwide

Luna (Latin for moon) is the most popular female dog name globally, with Bella (Italian for beautiful) not far behind.

Top 10 most popular male dog names

Top dogs names overall

The post The most popular dog names around the world appeared first on Vivid Maps.

The team decided to turn to Instagram to find out. They analyzed hashtag and geolocation data to settle the debate once and for all.

The Budget Direct Pet Insurance team analyzed Instagram posts using the following hashtags: #ilovecats, #catloversclub, #catlovers, #ilovedogs, #dogloversclub & #doglovers, and then extracting the geolocation data of each post. With this information in hand, they awarded the pet’s victory with the higher share of posts. This analysis was done both at a country, state, and city-level to crown the most dog/cat-loving cities in the world. Finally, Budget Direct Pet Insurance produced maps with the highest proportion of dog/cat lovers.

Here’s a preview of the results in a world map:

Cants Vs. Dogs: Which Is the Most Popular Around the World?

Cats Vs. Dogs: Which Is the Most Popular Around America?

Cats Vs. Dogs: Which Is the Most Popular in Australia?

Key Findings:
● Cats are more popular than dogs in 91 countries and dogs more prevalent in 76 countries.
● The United States, Australia, and the UK are all dog-people countries.
● New York City has the highest number of cat- or dog-tagged photos globally, and 59.6% were about cats rather than dogs.

The post Every Country’s Preference For Cats or Dog Mapped appeared first on Vivid Maps.