List of mammals of Yellowstone National Park facts for kids

A bull elk grazes in Gibbon Meadows in the west-central portion of the park.

An elk grazes with a bison in the park.

There are at least 67 species of mammals known to live within Yellowstone National Park, a 2,219,791 acres (898,318 ha) protected area in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. Species are listed by common name, scientific name, typical habitat, and relative abundance.

Canids

A gray wolf runs through deep snow.

A coyote pack hunting in the snow.

Order: Carnivora Family: Canidae

• Coyote (Canis latrans) valleys, grasslands, forests – common
• Gray wolf (Canis lupus) valleys, grasslands, forests – common
• Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) meadows, forests – common

Bears

A grizzly bear

Order: Carnivora Family: Ursidae

• Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) grasslands, forests, alpine tundra – common
• Black bear (Ursus americanus) forests – common

Raccoons

Order: Carnivora Family: Procyonidae

• Common raccoon (Procyon lotor) rivers, cottonwoods – rare

Felids

Order: Carnivora Family: Felidae

• Cougar (Puma concolor) forests, rock outcrops – uncommon
• Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) coniferous forests – rare
• Bobcat (Lynx rufus) coniferous forests, rock outcroppings – common

Weasels

Order: Carnivora Family: Mustelidae

• Short-tailed weasel or ermine (Mustela erminea) willows, spruce forests – common
• Long-tailed weasel (Mustela frenata) forests, meadows, wetlands – common
• American marten (Martes americana) coniferous forests – common
• Fisher (Martes pennanti) forests – rare, if present
• American mink (Neovison vison) streams, rivers – uncommon
• North American river otter (Lutra canadensis) rivers – common
• American badger (Taxidea taxus) grasslands, sagebrush – common
• Wolverine (Gulo gulo) alpine tundra, coniferous forests – rare

Skunks

Order: Carnivora Family: Mephitidae

• Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) riparian forests – rare

Rabbits and hares

A snowshoe hare

Order: Lagomorpha Family: Leporidae

• Mountain cottontail (Sylvilagus nuttallii) shrublands – common
• Desert cottontail (Sylvilagus audubonii) shrublands – common
• Snowshoe hare (Lepus americanus) coniferous forests, willows – common
• White-tailed jackrabbit (Lepus townsendii) sagebrush, grasslands – common

Pikas

Order: Lagomorpha Family: Ochotonidae

• American Pika (Ochotona princeps) alpine tundra, rocky areas – common

Bovids

Yellowstone is home to approximately 5,000 bison.

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Bovidae

• American bison (Bison bison) grasslands, sagebrush, shrubland – abundant
• Bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) cliffs, rock outcroppings, alpine tundra – uncommon
• Mountain Goat (Oreamnos americanus) cliffs, rock outcroppings, alpine tundra – uncommon (non-native)

Pronghorn

Pronghorn buck in snow.

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Antilocapridae

• Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) sagebrush, grassland – common

Elk, moose, and deer

Elk are Yellowstone's most abundant large mammal.

Order: Artiodactyla Family: Cervidae

• White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) grasslands, forests – uncommon
• Mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) grasslands, shrubland, forests – common
• Elk (Cervus canadensis) grasslands, shrubland, forest, alpine tundra – abundant
• Moose (Alces alces) grasslands, forests, river, lakes – uncommon

Shrews

Order: Soricomorpha Family: Soricidae

• Dusky shrew (Sorex monticolus) meadows, forests – common
• Masked shrew (Sorex cinereous) meadows, forests – common
• American water shrew (Sorex palustris) meadows, riparian areas – common
• Preble's shrew (Sorex preblei) meadows, forests – rare, if present
• Dwarf shrew (Sorex nanus) meadows, forests – common.

Beavers

Order: Rodentia Family: Castoridae

• American beaver (Castor canadensis) riparian areas – fairly common, increasing

Squirrels

A chipmunk

Order: Rodentia Family: Sciuridae

• Least chipmunk (Tamias minimus) meadows, forests – common
• Uinta chipmunk (Neotamias umbrinus) meadows, forests – common
• Yellow-pine chipmunk (Tamias amoenus) meadows, forests – common
• American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) coniferous forests – common
• Northern flying squirrel (Glaucomys sabrinus) forests – occasional
• Yellow-bellied marmot (Marmota flaventris) forests, meadows, rocky areas – common
• Uinta ground squirrel (Spermophilus armatus) meadows, sagebrush – common
• Golden-mantled ground squirrel (Spermophilus lateralis) meadows, forests, rocky areas, alpine tundra – common

Voles and Woodrats

A muskrat

Order: Rodentia Family: Cricetidae

• Common muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) riparian – occasional
• Western heather vole (Phenacomys intermedius) sagebrush, grasslands, forest – occasional
• Water vole (Microtus richardsoni) riparian – occasional
• Long-tailed vole (Microtus longicaudus) meadows – common
• Southern red-backed vole (Myodes gapperi) coniferous forests – common
• Meadow vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus) meadows – common
• Montane vole (Microtus montanus) meadows, sagebrush, riparian – common
• Bushy-tailed woodrat (Neotoma cinerea) rocky areas – common

Mice

A deer mouse

Order: Rodentia Family: Cricetidae

• Deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) grasslands – common

Jumping mice

Order: Rodentia Family: Dipodidae

• Western jumping mouse (Zapus princeps) riparian – occasional

Porcupines

A porcupine

Order: Rodentia Family: Erethizontidae

• North American porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum) forests, sagebrush, riparian – common

Bats

A silver-haired bat clings to a tree trunk.

Order: Chiroptera Family: Vespertilionidae

• Little brown bat (Myotis lucifugus) roosts in caves, trees, buildings – common
• Big brown bat (Eptesicus fuscus) roosts in sheltered areas – common
• Long-eared myotis (Myotis evotis) roosts on cliffs, buildings – uncommon
• Long-legged myotis (Myotis volans) roosts in cliffs, tree cavities, buildings – common
• Townsend's big-eared bat (Coryhinus townsendii) roosts in caves – uncommon
• Fringe-tailed bat (Myotis thysanodes) roosts in cliffs, snags – uncommon
• Hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus) roosts in trees – uncommon
• Silver-haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) roosts in trees, snags – common
• Spotted bat (Euderma maculatum) roosts on cliffs, trees – uncommon
• Pallid bat (Antrozous pallidus) roosts on cliffs, caves, buildings – uncommon
• California myotis (Myotis californicus) roosts in trees, rock crevices, and buildings
• Western small-footed myotis (Myotis ciliolabrum) roosts in caves, rocky areas – rare
• Yuma myotis (Myotis yumanensis) roosts in caves, buildings, trees – rare