Anyone can find their way in these 5 maps of US national parks – but only Einstein could spot the animals in 30seconds
MOST people don’t look at maps anymore unless it’s on their smartphone but there are some hidden gems you might miss.
Mapmakers don’t go out to create their works, often relying on others to survey the area for them – such as photographers and other experts.
But that often leads to fun Easter eggs tucked away in the lines and shapes that make maps useful.
The mapmakers in the Swiss Federal Office of Topography, also known as Swisstopo, are known for adding these secret drawings.
They’ve had to cleverly disguise the images to avoid their employers catching on as it “implies that the mapmaker has openly violated his commitment to accuracy, risking professional repercussions on account of an alpine rodent,” according to Eye On Design.
The team at HawaiianIslands.com has followed in their footsteps, this time adding drawings of endangered animals from North America in their home regions.
Here, The U.S. Sun has five maps with hidden creatures inside – can you spot the endangered animal?
The Florida panther was once a gruesome creature that even had a bounty put on its head in 1832 for being a threat to livestock.
However, by the 1970s, the animal was pushed to near extinction due to hunting with numbers as low as 20 or 30.
Inbreeding and genetic mutations led to the panther’s signature crooked tail and cowlicked fur.
Can you spot the creature?
If not, look at the center of the image and then trail your eyes lower and soon you’ll see the unmistakable outline of the ferocious panther.
If you were able to solve that one, perhaps you can try finding the red wolf.
About 267 of the animals are kept in Saving Animals From Extinction (SAFE) facilities, making it rare to find one in the wild.
Wild red wolves only call North Carolina’s Albemarle Peninsula home, however, they once went as far as southeastern Texas to central Pennsylvania.
Known for their beautiful cinnamon-colored, the wolves were mostly killed out of fear and superstition for centuries.
Many settlers saw wolves as villainous but red wolves are actually quite shy and unlikely to confront humans.
Did you see the wolf? Try looking at Swan Creek Lake on the map.
If you pay attention, you’ll find the outline of a wolf’s head.
A California condor will be hard to miss if you spot it in the sky, but the chances for that are pretty slim.
As the largest flying bird in North America, it has a wingspan that’s the length of a kayak.
Because of this, some people confused it with the thunderbird in Native American mythology.
At one point in the 1980s, there were only 22 California condors left in the wild.
The birds were hunted or had their eggs stolen or poisoned by traps set for other creatures.
Lead ammunition was banned in California in 2013 to protect the birds.
In the image, you can spot the elusive bird just near the coast of the Pacific Ocean in the lower center of the image.
The fourth animal is the black-footed ferret, a cousin to the weasel, the badger, and the mink.
The black-footed ferret is America’s only native ferret.
With a black facemask, feet, tail tip, and brown and white fur, the animal is hard to spot in the prairies it calls home.
However, the destruction of its home region and the ferret’s favorite animal – the prairie dog, has made life hard for the black-foot.
There were as many as a million black-footed ferrets in the late 1800s but by the 1950s, they were thought to be extinct.
Today, there are about 370 in the wild.
The pesky ferret is near the center of the image just below the text that reads “Shirley Basin.”
The last animal is the Loggerhead sea turtle, which has lived on Earth for the last 100million years.
They’re found in several areas worldwide but the North Pacific Ocean population is considered to be endangered and the international population is dwindling.
The creatures are recognizable by their large heads, powerful jaws, and reddish-brown heart-shaped shells.
Female loggerheads can travel thousands of miles to lay their eggs on the same beach where they were hatched, using the Earth‘s magnetic field for navigation.
However, the eggs are typically harvested by humans.
The turtles are also captured or damaged by fishing gear and are also affected by pollution, loss of habitat, and boat strikes.
You can find an outline of the turtle near Malkintooh Creek at the bottom of the image.