Wild Animals of Yellowstone National Park

Part 1

WILD ANIMALS OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK

A presentation of general information on many of the mammals most commonly seen in Yellowstone, illustrated with drawings of many of the species described.

by Harold J. Brodrick

Yellowstone Interpretive Series Number 1

Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone Park, Wyoming 1954

Reprinted March 1959

This booklet is published by the Yellowstone Library and Museum Association, a non-profit organization whose purpose is the stimulation of interest in the educational and inspirational aspects of Yellowstone’s history and natural history. The Association cooperates with and is recognized by the National Park Service of the United States Department of the Interior, as an essential operating organization. It is primarily sponsored and operated by the Naturalist Division in Yellowstone National Park.

As one means of accomplishing its aims the Association has published a series of reasonably priced booklets which are available for purchase by mail throughout the year or at the museum information desks in the park during the summer.

YELLOWSTONE INTERPRETIVE SERIES Number Title and Author

1 Wild Animals of Yellowstone National Park by Harold J. Brodrick 2 Birds of Yellowstone National Park by Harold J. Brodrick 3 Yellowstone Fishes by James R. Simon 4 The Story of Old Faithful Geyser by George D. Marler 5 Reptiles and Amphibians of Yellowstone National Park by Frederick B. Turner 6 Yellowstone’s Bannock Indian Trails by Wayne F. Replogle 7 The Story of Man in Yellowstone by Dr. M. D. Beal 8 The Plants of Yellowstone National Park by W. B. McDougall and Herma A. Baggley

Orders or letters of inquiry concerning publications should be addressed to the Yellowstone Library and Museum Association, Yellowstone Park, Wyoming.

Copyright 1952 by the Yellowstone Library and Museum Association Revised 1954

PREFACE

PURPOSE

Visitors to Yellowstone have for many years found the larger mammals of the region of unusual interest. The demand for some printed information in general terms and at a reasonable cost have prompted the preparation of this handbook.

The aim of this publication is to provide those interested with a few facts about the more commonly seen mammals of Yellowstone. People want to be better informed on the variety of animals found here; this handbook should be helpful. It is hoped that the statements concerning locations where certain species are most apt to be seen will assist many people to enjoy the pleasures of watching these animals and observing their interesting behavior. The illustrations and descriptions of the various species are intended to aid in the identification of animals seen for those not familiar with wildlife. If the book fulfills these needs it will have served its purpose.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The assistance of Dr. C. Max Bauer, Chief, Geology Branch (retired), National Park Service and of Chief Park Naturalist David de L. Condon in making criticisms and suggestions on the material presented here is acknowledged. The cooperation of the Yellowstone Library and Museum Association in publishing the book is appreciated and I wish to thank Yellowstone National Park for the use of copies of original paintings by E. J. Sawyer for some of the illustrations. I also wish to acknowledge the aid rendered by all others who participated in the editing and completion of the manuscript for publication.

NOTES

The scientific names used were taken from A FIELD GUIDE TO THE MAMMALS by Burt and Grossenheider, and where subspecific names are used, they were checked in the Journal of Mammalogy for current usage. The authorities for each name are omitted here as not having any particular interest to the non-professional. Those study specimens available in the Yellowstone Museums were used as reference material. The title “Wild Animals of Yellowstone National Park” is used, even though this book treats only the mammals and omits dealing with other animal life forms. The average person thinks of mammals as the animals and usually thinks of other life forms by more specific names.

Harold J. Brodrick April 1952 and May 1954

EDITOR’S NOTE

This second edition of WILD ANIMALS OF YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK has been revised by the Naturalist Staff at Yellowstone. The revisions consist mainly of a revision to the scientific names of the animals to bring them into conformance with more recent scientific nomenclature, and also to bring some of the text material into conformance with preferred American usage. These additions, corrections and deletions have been made in accordance with either the United States Government Printing Office Style Manual or Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary (1950). All of the generic and specific names have been changed to agree with those in A Field Guide to the Mammals by Burt and Grossenheider. Where subspecies are concerned, the Journal of Mammalogy has been used as the authority.

May 1954

“I’LL TELL THE WORLD!” THE ANIMALS ALONE ARE WORTH YOUR TRIP TO YELLOWSTONE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page PREFACE Purpose iii Acknowledgments iii Notes iii Editor’s Note iv TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 1 ANIMALS Pronghorn (Antelope) 3 Bison (Buffalo) 5 Wapiti (Elk) 7 Moose 9 Deer 11 Bighorn 12 Black Bear 14 Grizzly Bear 17 Cougar 20 Coyote 22 Wolf 24 Marmot 26 Mantled Ground Squirrel 28 Uinta Ground Squirrel 30 Chipmunk 34 Pine Squirrel 35 Beaver 37 Otter 40 Mink 42 Marten 42 Porcupine 44 Badger 46 White-footed Mouse 49 Meadow Mouse 50 Wood Rat 53 Muskrat 54 Pika 56 Cottontail 57 Snowshoe Rabbit 59 Jackrabbit 61 Additional Animal List Flying Squirrel 63 Weasel 63 Skunk 63 Red Fox 64 Bobcat 64 Lynx 64 Wolverine 64 Pocket Gopher 65 Jumping Mouse 65 Red-backed Mouse 65 Shrews 65 Bats 66 BIBLIOGRAPHY 66

INTRODUCTION

Part 2

Yellowstone National Park was established on March 1, 1872 by an act passed by the Congress of the United States of America. It is a mountainous area mostly in the northwestern corner of Wyoming, with small sections extending into Montana and Idaho. The area set aside as a National Park is 3,471.51 square miles. It provides within its boundaries environmental conditions which make it possible for many of the mammals representative of the Rocky Mountains to carry out their complete life cycle without fear of persecution by man.

The men that first conceived the idea of preserving the Yellowstone area as a great National Park were primarily concerned with the preservation of the natural wonders such as the geysers and hot spring phenomena, the canyon and waterfalls, and the lakes. In those days little thought was given to the need for preserving our wild animals. However, it soon became apparent that the wild animals, once thought to be unlimited in numbers, would have to have protection if they were going to be preserved for future generations. Yellowstone soon became known nearly as much for its wildlife as for its natural wonders.

The wild animals of Yellowstone National Park are widely distributed over the park area, some of them being restricted to limited areas due to the difference in elevation and the availability of the certain types of habitat which they require, while others range over a wider part of the park, especially during certain seasons of the year.

The higher mountain meadows are ideal summer ranges for the larger mammals. These animals would normally work down into the lower country outside of Yellowstone to the north for the winter. Since that area is now mostly under fence they have been forced to do the best they can up in the winter snows of the lower sections of the park. Bears and several of the smaller animals go into hibernation as soon as or even before the first snow squalls of winter appear so the long winter in the high country holds no terrors for them.

It is the policy of the National Park Service to present these animals to the visiting public in as near their natural environment as possible, each species being left to carry on its normal existence unassisted wherever possible. Unfortunately the lack of sufficient winter range within the park for unlimited numbers of animals has made it necessary that the numbers of bison, elk and antelope be controlled and management practices be put into effect in order to hold the number down to the carrying capacity of the range. So far these three species of animals have presented the only problem as far as overpopulation is concerned.

Predatory animals, especially the coyote, wolf and mountain lion were at one time controlled by hunting. The present policy is to let the predators carry on their own normal life as it is believed to be best for them and all other animals concerned and only in unusual circumstances will any control measures be carried out.

ANIMALS

PRONGHORN Antilocapra americana

The Pronghorn or American Antelope was almost as well known as the buffalo to the early settlers of the West. In fact it has been estimated, by some, to have been present in nearly as large numbers as the buffalo but never to have concentrated in such large herds.

It once ranged the territory from eastern Kansas, western Iowa and Minnesota westward to the valleys of California and northern Mexico northward to southern Saskatchewan and Alberta. It is a typical animal of the plains and open rolling country—few animals are more fleet or wary than the pronghorn. Unfortunately their curiosity in regard to any object that they do not recognize or understand helped make them a fairly easy mark for the hunters. Many are the tales of the pronghorns being coaxed into gun range by their curiosity in a handkerchief or strip of bright cloth waving in the breeze.

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