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21 Animals That Call Sequoia National Park Home

Animals That call sequoia national park home.

Sequoia National Park, situated on the West side of the USA, is approximately 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Los Angeles. It is known worldwide for being the home of the Giant Sequoia. These trees are said to be the biggest in the world. However, many of the one million visitors who frequent the National Park annually do not realize the amount of fauna that can be seen that call the park their home. Here are 21 animals that call Sequoia National Park home.  

Black bear

Black Bear
Black bears are excellent climbers and can ascend trees with ease, using their strong claws and agile limbs to reach heights of up to 50 feet. Image by Aaron Brewer via Pexels

The mighty black bear can be found across Northern America and is smaller than their fiercer grizzly bear counterparts. You could chance upon a black bear in Sequoia.

Mule Deer

Mule deer. Image via Depositphotos.

An adult male mule deer can weigh up to 330 lbs, or 150 kg! This deer can be found throughout the park.

Mountain Lion (Cougar)

A Cougar Sits Under a Tree For a Rest. Image via Depositphotos.

Mountain lions, also known as Cougars, are native to the park. Due to their shy nature, seeing a Cougar can be rare, albeit very special.

Gray Fox

Grey fox animal walking in a field, exposing its body, head, ears, eyes, nose, tail enjoying its surrounding and environment. Image via Depositphotos.

Gray foxes have a gray complexion with a hint of red and white around their faces. Although they are familiar to the park, catching a glimpse of one is a rare sight.

Bobcat

Bobcat
Bobcat in a forest. Image Miller_Eszter via Pixabay

A bobcat, not to be confused with a kitty at home, is also known as a red lynx. These feline predators feed on the small animals, such as squirrels and chipmunks, that also reside in the park.

Chipmunk

Chipmunk. Image via Depositphotos.

Chipmunks have a distinct stripe on their backs that distinguishes them from squirrels. They can be found throughout Sequioa National Park.

Coyote

Coyote
Coyote Image by karlumbriaco.hotmail.com via Depositphotos

Known across the park for their nighttime noises, coyotes are quite a bit smaller than wolves and prey on anything easily available.

American Pika

American Pika in Canada. Image by Shawn.ccf via Depositphotos.

This cute-looking critter can be found throughout the Park. They enjoy a rocky habitat in areas with fewer trees.

Yellow-bellied Marmot

Yellow-bellied Marmot
Yellow-bellied Marmot. Image by twildlife via Depositphotos.

The yellow-bellied Marmot, or rock chuck as it is known locally, resides happily in the park.

Raccoon

Racoon
Raccoon hiding behind leaves. Image by Joshua J. Cotten via unsplash.com Image by Joshua J. Cotten via Unsplash

A raccoon is a nocturnal species that will feast on anything it can get its paws on. These sly creatures can be found throughout the park, especially by unassuming campers.

California Kingsnake

California kingsnake
California kingsnake, its scientific name is Lampropeltis getula californiae. Image by belizar via Depositphotos.

This non-venomous reptile is expected in the park. Due to its docile nature, it is also the most common pet snake in California.

Western Rattlesnake

Western Diamondback Rattlesnake
Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) coiled to strike. Image via Depositphotos.

These vipers are indeed venomous. Always take care when walking around in the park if you step on one. Beware of the rattle!

Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog

Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog. Image by USFWS/Rick Kuyper, CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

These amphibians can be found in the rivers that run through Sequoia National Park. Unfortunately, the frog is listed as endangered, so take care that you don’t accidentally step on one!

Western Pond turtle

Western Pond Turtle.
Western Pond Turtle. By Jerry Kirkhart – originally posted to Flickr as Western Pond Turtle (Actinemys marmorata), CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10888326, via Wikimedia Commons

These turtles can live up to around 70 years and inhabit all bodies of water in the park.

Rainbow trout

Wild redside rainbow trout caught while fly fishing on the McKenzie River. This native fish is also called a redband trout. Image via Depositphotos.

The Rainbow Trout has a distinct pink stripe across its body. They can be found in North America’s rivers and lakes, especially in the park.

Great Gray Owl

Great gray owl portrait. Image via Depositphotos.

Like all owls, the great gray owl prefers the nighttime. If you hear hooting at night, just know that the largest owl in the world chills in the park.

Red-Tailed Hawk

hawk
Flying bird of prey above the field meadow, Red-tailed hawk, Buteo jamaicensis, landing in the forest. Wildlife scene from nature. Image via Depositphotos.

Theses mighty birds of prey happily fly around the park in search of smaller mammals such as squirrels.

Steller’s Jay

Steller’s Jay (Cyanocitta stelleri) spotted in California. Image via Depositphotos.

The Steller’s jay, not to be confused with the blue jay, has beautiful feathers morphing from brilliant blue at its tail to jet-black at the beak. These can be found swooping through the sequoia forests.

American Dipper

American Dipper swims underwater to feed.
American Dipper swims underwater to feed. By David A Mitchell from Calgary, Canada – IMG_8886-63.jpg, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=74729973, via Wikimedia Commons.

American Dippers resides next to the parks’ rivers and lakes. These birds can uniquely walk beneath the water, searching for small fish.

Peregrine Falcon

Angry Peregrine Falcon.
Angry Peregrine Falcon. Image by ca2hill via Depositphotos

The fastest animal in the world, the peregrine falcon, can reach speeds of 242 mi/h (390 km/h) during diving. That’s faster than a Formula One car! These majestic birds can be spotted in the park.

Bighorn Sheep

ram bighorn sheep
A big horn sheep. Image by Jwanamaker, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The bighorn sheep, named for – you guessed it – their big horns, are wild sheep that live in the park. These big boys can typically weigh up to 310 lbs (140kg).

Conclusion

Sequoia National Park. Image via Depositphotos.

As can be seen, the Sequoia National Park is home to many wonderful animals. Don’t just come for the giant trees, come to see the animals too! I hope you enjoyed reading about the animals that call Sequoia National Park home.

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