Jackson Hole Wildlife

Nearly 500 animal species inhabit the Greater Yellowstone area. Viewing wildlife can be the highlight of any vacation, but remember, these animals are truly wild and unpredictable. Stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves and 25 yards away from other wildlife. jht.guide/wildlife

Grizzlies have a distinctive shoulder

Grizzly hump, and their ears are short and

Bear rounded. In the Greater Yellowstone area, males, or boars, can weigh up to 600 pounds. Grizzly bears are opportunistic omnivores, which means they’ll eat anything from berries, grasses and insects to fish and newborn animals.

BEST PLACES TO VIEW: Willow Flats, Oxbow Bend

INTERESTING FACT: Grizzly sows (females) give birth to one to four cubs mid-winter while in their dens; the number may depend on the mother’s health.

Black bears have tall, pointed ears, no

Black Bear distinctive shoulder hump, and weigh 200-plus pounds. BEST PLACES TO VIEW: Signal Mountain and Jenny Lake in summer INTERESTING FACTS: Cubs, born mid-winter, weigh less than a pound. Black bears are great tree climbers. MYTH BUSTER: Bears don’t hibernate. They go into a deep sleep, called torpor, but their body temperature doesn’t drop as low as that of true hibernation.

Male wolves are slightly heavier than

Wolves females, weighing up to 130 pounds. Usually seen in packs of about 10, wolves are capable predators. In Jackson Hole, they mostly feed on elk. BEST PLACES TO VIEW: Infrequently seen in the Willow Flats area or among sagebrush flats throughout Grand Teton National Park. More commonly seen in northern Yellowstone. INTERESTING FACTS: Wolf reintroduction efforts in the ’90s released 66 wild wolves into the Greater Yellowstone area—now home to about 1,600 wolves.

Males weigh up to 140 pounds. Pronghorn Pronghorn are herbivores and prefer shrubs and forbs (wildflowers) to grasses. BEST PLACES TO VIEW: Elk Ranch Flats and Antelope Flats INTERESTING FACTS: It’s thought that pronghorn evolved their quick speed when pursued by a now extinct North American cheetah. They have been recorded sprinting up to 60 mph, which is faster than any other mammal in the Western Hemisphere.

307-690-9533 | JHECOTOURADVENTURES.COM

Maximize your time in Yellowstone and Grand Teton parks! Explore the wildlife hot spots on and off the beaten path while sharing the day with a fun and knowledgeable naturalist guide. We will make the most of your time in the region!

The largest North American land mammal,

Bison bison can weigh up to 2,000 pounds. These giant herbivores look docile, but they are not; do not approach one! BEST PLACES TO VIEW: Yellowstone, Kelly/ Antelope Flats loop and Elk Ranch Flats during the summer; National Elk Refuge during the winter INTERESTING FACTS: Bison can jump a 6-foot fence from a standstill and gallop up to 35 mph. MYTH BUSTER: Although the term “buffalo” is often used—inaccurately—to describe bison, these animals are not related to the “true” buffalo in Africa and Asia.

Large bulls weigh up to 750 pounds.

Elk Predominantly grazers, elk eat grass most of the year. During winter, when snow covers the grass, they may consume the bark of aspen trees. BEST PLACES TO VIEW: Summer—early and late in the day near Jenny Lake, in Grand Teton National Park; Winter—on the National Elk Refuge INTERESTING FACTS: During the fall rut, dominant males collect harems of about 30 females, breeding with them and driving away other adult males by bugling (a loud vocalization) to show their strength.

Males are larger than females, weighing

Bighorn on average 250 pounds. Sheep are

Sheep herbivores, browsing shrubs during the winter and grasses during the summer. BEST PLACE TO VIEW: Miller Butte, in the National Elk Refuge, primarily during winter. During summer, they can be found at high elevations in the Teton and Gros Ventre ranges. INTERESTING FACTS: Bighorn sheep’s hooves are able to cup around rocks for traction on sheer rocky faces. Males establish a dominance hierarchy in the fall by clashing with their horns.

The moose is the largest antlered

Moose animal in the world. Bulls weigh up to 1,200 pounds. Most moose are solitary, but you may see them in small groups. BEST PLACES TO VIEW: Willow Flats and along river corridors during summer; sagebrush flats in winter

INTERESTING FACTS: Moose can eat up to 70 pounds of leaves, twigs and aquatic vegetation per day. Their main defense mechanisms are their hard, sharp hooves. Their antlers can grow as much as an inch per day.