Yellowstone Animals

Look for these animals in and around Yellowstone National Park

PRINTABLE CHECKLIST OF YELLOWSTONE ANIMALS!

SOME THINGS TO REMEMBER

Stay Away from Wildlife!

To learn more about an animal's natural behavior and activity keep your distance and stay safe.

You are required to stay at least 100 yards (91 m) away from all bears and at least 25 yards (23 m) away from all other animals - including bison, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, moose, wolves and coyotes. Failure to do so can be dangerous for you and the animals, and result in large fines.

Slow Down, Save a Life!

Speed needlessly kills more than 100 large animals in Yellowstone each year. Please slow down, be alert to your surroundings and drive safely.

ELK (Cervus elaphus)

Elk can measure five feet (1.5m) at the shoulder and up to 1,100 pounds (499 kg). The cow births one calf in the spring. Only bulls have antlers, emerging in early spring in velvet, and growing to a spread of as much as 5 feet (1.5 m) before being shed each winter. In the fall, elk gather for annual mating rituals, when the males are very aggressive. Listen closely when viewing elk in the fall; you may hear the males making their distinct "bugling" sound.

SHIRAS MOOSE (Alces alces)

The moose is largest, and least social, member of the deer family. They lead a solitary woodland life - except when the mother is with her calf.

The unusual hanging flap of skin on a moose's throat is called a "bell." Moose seek watery habitats and like to feed on aquatic plants - so look in marshes and near rivers with willow, as well as ponds and lakes.

Moose have an excellent sense of smell, can run up to 35 mph (56 km/h), and are fast swimmers. Mature bulls may weigh 900 pounds (408 kg) or more, and cows average 600-800 pounds (272-362 kg).

A bull moose grows and sheds his massive rack of antlers, called paddles, annually. A moose cow gives birth to one calf - sometimes two - in the spring.

BISON (Bison bison)

The bison - or buffalo - is the largest land mammal in North America. A bull can weigh 2,000 pounds (900 kg). Bison herd primarily on prairies and river valleys - look in the Hayden and Lamar Valleys for large groupings.

While they are called "buffalo," true buffalo only exist in Africa and Asia. Bison cows usually have one calf born in the spring, and are a bright orange when very young. The calves can usually run with the herd a few hours after being born.

Bison can sprint at 30 mph (48 km/h) or 44 feet per second (13m/second). That is faster than an Olympic sprinter!

These animals may appear slow and tame, but are wild animals - unpredictable and dangerous! You are required to stay at least 25 yards (23 m) away from all animals. People are gored by bison every year for not respecting the required distance. Be smart - do not approach bison!

BIGHORN SHEEP (Ovis Canadensis)

The Rocky Mountain Bighorn is found only in the North American Rockies, usually above timberline on rugged, grassy slopes.

In winter they descend to less steep and snowy areas where they utilize their superior eyesight to evade predators. Both rams and ewes have permanent horns, but only the rams' spiral into a massive circle that they use to butt other males in breeding contests. A strict social order is set by the size of the horns, the ram with the largest horns commanding the most respect.

In the winter and early spring, bighorn sheep can be seen grazing along the North Fork highway (HWY14/16/20) on the way to Yellowstone.

PRONGHORN (Antilocarpa Americana)

Unique to the American West, the pronghorn is neither a true antelope nor a true goat, but is a remnant of a group of horned North American mammals from the Eocene epoch. The slender animal subsists on prairie grass and most any other vegetation it finds. Like other ruminants, it chews cud.

The fastest runner on the continent, the pronghorn can reach speeds of 50 mph (80 km/h), and also evades predators by use of its binocular-like vision - perfectly suited to open plains and grasslands.

Both sexes have permanent horns; the outer covering is shed yearly (although some do not grow horns). The doe has one or two fawns each spring that are able to walk within 30 minutes of birth.

Pronghorn can be differentiated from deer by their striking marks - reddish brown coats with white flanks, rumps and underbellies - all accented by their forked black horns. Pronghorn range all across Wyoming and typically can be seen from the highways. With a population of 500,000, pronghorn outnumber Wyoming's human residents.

MULE DEER (Odocoileus hemionus)

Mule Deer are named for their large, constantly moving ears. The Mule Deer has a thin black tail that is drooped versus the large white fluffy tail of the white-tailed deer. They are usually a dark grey-brown in color with a white rump and the small, black tipped tail.

Mule deer move between various zones from the forest edges at higher elevations to the desert floor, depending on the season. They feed on green leaves, herbs, weeds and grasses. When startled, Mule Deer move in a series of stiff-legged jumps with all four feet hitting the ground together. Only bucks grow antlers, growing each spring and shed each winter.

GRIZZLY BEAR (Urus arctos horribilis)

Grizzly bears are distinctive for their size, 6-7 feet (183-213 cm) long and 3-4 feet (91-122 cm) at the shoulder, the hump on their shoulders, and their brown to black fur with whitish tips.

Fast and powerful, grizzly bears can sprint up to 30 mph (48 km/h).

They feed mostly on herbaceous plants, roots and berries, but also include rodents, fish, carrion, insects and hoofed animals in their diets. Grizzlies usually avoid human encounters but are dangerous when surprised, cornered, with cubs, or defending a food source. Grizzlies range throughout the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem.

It is the law to stay at least 100 yards (91 m) away from all bears!

BLACK BEAR (Urus americanus)

A black bear in the West can be brown, cinnamon, blonde or black. These shy omnivores must eat constantly to maintain their weight in preparation for winter, an average of 150 to 200 pounds (68-90 kg) for sows and twice that for boars. They average 30 inches (76 cm) at the shoulder, much smaller than a grizzly bear.

Black bears are considered semi-hibernators, because even while dormant they can awaken quickly. A female gives birth to average of two cubs every other year in her winter den - while half awake. The cubs are tiny at birth, nurse until late summer and grow quickly. Black bears are good climbers and often sleep in trees. They have moderately good hearing, an excellent sense of smell, and relatively poor eyesight.

Black bears can run up to 30 mph (48 km/h) - they are very fast and dangerous, especially when protecting their young or a food source. Black bears range throughout the Greater Yellowstone ecosystem. Remember- It is the law to stay at least 100 yards (91 m) away from all bears!

GRAY WOLF (Canis lupus)

This large, shy animal is usually gray but can vary from silvery white to black. It grows to be 40-52 inches (101-132 cm) in length from head to hind legs, and the tail is approximately 16 inches (40cm) long. A wolf is much larger than a coyote.

The wolf lives in a complex social organization. The pack, usually 7 to 10 individuals, is a society of parents, young, and close relatives that follow a rigid hierarchy. The leader, or alpha male, appears to control the pack's activities and is often the only male to breed; he pairs with the dominant female - also called the alpha.

Wolves are mainly big game hunters, preying on deer and other large mammals, but also eat carrion and small animals. Although there are a number of packs in the park, one spotting area is the Lamar Valley.

COYOTE (Canis latrans)

With its yips and howls, the coyote has become a symbol of the West. Intelligent and wary of humans, the coyote is the best runner of the dog family, reaching speeds of 30-40 mph (48-58 km/h). They can leap up to 14 feet (4.3 m) in one bound. Coyotes mostly feed on rodents, rabbits, carrion, plants and insects. Coyotes mate for life, and produce five to ten pups each spring. Both parents share in the upbringing.

YELLOW-BELLIED MARMOT (Marmota flaviventris)

Known by some as a "rockchuck," the yellow-bellied marmot - named for the golden color of its belly- is the Western cousin of the woodchuck. It lives in rocky areas of the mountains at high elevations up to 12,000 feet (3658 m).

They choose a burrow near a large boulder for a lookout platform. Marmots might be seen along the top of the Beartooth Scenic Highway.

Marmots are twice the size of a prairie dog, and five times as heavy. They feed all summer on roots, berries, lichens, sedges, and alpine meadows grasses. In late summer, marmots go into hibernation in an underground nest of dried grasses, sleeping until the following May. Male marmots rule a colony of several females and their young. Marmot females have litters of three to six young in the summer.

LEAST CHIPMUNK (Tamias minimus)

A mere two ounces, this chipmunk is the least in size of all members of its family but is the most widespread.

They eat nuts, seeds, insects, mushrooms, berries and other fruits, even small snakes and frogs - either eating on the spot or storing it for winter. It hibernates in a natural crevice or rotten log lined with leaves and grass, and plugs the entrance to seal out cold and predators. The female has five or six tiny young in May. Chipmunks are found throughout the region - look around your campsite!

PRINTABLE CHECKLIST OF YELLOWSTONE ANIMALS!