This Wild Animal Has Made Surprising Return To Illinois Rivers

For many years, this wild animal almost completely vanished from Illinois but it has now returned to the state in record numbers.

These Wild Animals Can Once Again Be Found In Illinois

It's ironic when I think about it. Residents were moving out of Illinois in droves. They couldn't get out of the state fast enough. Plus, there weren't any people coming into the state to take their place. The population had dropped drastically.

READ MORE: 4 Bear Sightings In 4 Different Illinois Counties In 1 Week

When it comes to animals, there are plenty of species that used to be plentiful in Illinois and you can no longer find them anywhere in the state. The progress of humans has pushed them out.

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Over the past couple of years, there have been many sightings of animals that no longer or never considered Illinois home. Our state was in such bad shape, that they left too. In fact, several took off before the humans did.

Maybe, they found out that a lot of the people left the state and thought it was safe to come back. Think about it. There have been a bunch of bears and big cat sightings throughout Illinois. That's kind of scary.

Wildlife Illinois

Another animal that was pretty much extinct in Illinois has returned. Don't worry, they aren't dangerous. Welcome back river otters to our state. Those critters can now be found in every county in the state of Illinois.

River otters have even been spotted swimming in the Chicago River. In some places, there are so many, the animals are actually considered a nuisance. I guess that's their payback to residents for being run out of the state for many years.