10 great places to eye the tigers, more

— -- Brave enough to get up close and personal with nature's largest animals? Dave Salmoni, host of Animal Planet's Into the Pride, airing Thursdays at 8 p.m. ET/PT, shares his favorite spots to "get his growl on" and roam among the wild.

Yellowstone National ParkMontana & Wyoming "One of my favorite places to get my growl on is Yellowstone National Park in Montana and Wyoming," Salmoni says. "It's the easiest place to see a wide variety of hairy bad boys. The grizzly bear, black bear, mountain lion and wolves are all common visitors here." Serious animal watchers should check out the park's website for a map of the park and the wildlife that frequent the various areas for ultimate prowling. 307-344-7381, nps.gov/yell

Mirage HotelLas Vegas If you're looking to walk on the wild side both day and night, look no further than Vegas. "The Secret Garden at the Mirage Hotel has one of the best displays of white lions on the planet," Salmoni says. "These big beauties are a must-see when you are stuck in the concrete jungle." The Secret Garden — started by Siegfried and Roy in 1990 to educate the public and provide a safe place for endangered animals —is home to white tigers, lions, panthers and leopards. 702-791-7111, mirage.com

Phinda Private Game ReserveSouth Africa This reserve in the Maputaland region in northern KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, is a prime tourist destination. "There you hear the growls and see the majesty of Africa's Big Five — the elephant, lion, leopard, rhino and buffalo," Salmoni says. "They're called the Big Five because they are the most dangerous animals to hunt." But don't make the mistake of judging an animal solely by its bark: "One of the biggest barks comes from a very small creature called the honey badger, a very aggressive predator." 888-882-3742, phinda.com