Skip to Content

21 Must-See Animals When You Visit Yellowstone National Park

Great gray owl portrait.
Great gray owl portrait. Image via Depositphotos

Have you ever visited Yellowstone and experienced any of the wildlife there? If you haven’t do not fret because you’ve come to the right place! Below you’ll find a list of the top animals that call Yellowstone National Park home.

21. American Bison

Bison
Bison. Image via Unsplash

The iconic bison, also known as buffalo, roam in large herds and are a symbol of the American West.

20. Gray Wolf

Gray Wolf
Gray Wolf. By Malene Thyssen – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1743310

Reintroduced in the 1990s, wolves are apex predators playing a crucial role in the ecosystem.

19. Grizzly Bear

A portrait of a wild grizzly bear.
A portrait of a wild grizzly bear. By Jean Beaufort – https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=300112&picture=grizzly-bear, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=82893998

These majestic creatures are a rare sight, requiring large territories for foraging.

18. 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

More common than their grizzly counterparts, black bears are adaptable omnivores.

17. Elk

Elk. Image via depositphotos.

Large herds of elk are commonly seen, especially in the Lamar and Hayden valleys.

16. Moose

moose
Moose Bull. Image by Alaska Region U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Moose_bull.jpg

The largest of the deer family, moose are solitary animals often found near water.

15. Pronghorn

Pronghorn antelope. Image via depositphotos

The fastest land animal in North America, pronghorns are often seen in the park’s open plains.

14. 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

Known for their impressive curved horns, bighorn sheep inhabit the rocky and mountainous regions of the park.

13. Coyote

Coyote
Coyote on the roadside in desert area. Image via depositphotos.

These adaptable canines are often spotted alone or in small packs, hunting or scavenging.

12. Mountain Lion

cougar
Portrait of a cougar, striking a pose on a fallen tree. Image via Depositphotos

Also known as cougars, these elusive predators are rarely seen by visitors.

11. Bald Eagle

Bald eagle
Bald eagle soaring through the air. Image by Stephen Meyers via Pexels.

America’s national bird, the bald eagle, can be seen soaring above rivers or perched in tall trees.

10. Osprey

osprey animals in new jersey
Osprey. Image by Mathew Schwartz via Unsplash

These large raptors are fish-eating birds of prey, often seen near Yellowstone’s many rivers and lakes.

9. Trumpeter Swan

Trumpeter swan swimming on a pond. Image via depositphotos.

The largest of North American waterfowl, trumpeter swans are a rare sight, found in quiet waters.

8. Sandhill Crane

Sandhill Crane, Color image, Closeup. Image via depositphotos.

These tall birds are known for their graceful mating dances and can be seen in meadows and marshes.

7. American Beaver

North American Beaver
North American beaver (Castor canadensis), also known as the Canadian beaver. Image by Wrangel via Depositphotos

Engineers of the animal world, beavers build dams and lodges, significantly shaping their environment.

6. River Otter

River otter. Image via depositphotos.

Playful and agile, river otters can be seen in rivers and lakes, often in the early morning or at dusk.

5. Yellowstone Cutthroat Trout

Fishing for trout. Image via depositphotos.

Native to the Yellowstone River, these fish are a key species in the park’s aquatic ecosystems.

4. Pika

Large eared Pika, Ochotona macrotis. Image via depositphotos.

Small, mountain-dwelling mammals related to rabbits, pikas are often heard calling in rocky areas.

3. Marmot

Marmot. Image via depositphotos.

These large ground squirrels are commonly found in the park’s rocky areas, known for their loud whistles.

2. Red Fox

Wild red fox
A red fox. Image via Depositphotos

With its distinct red coat, the red fox is an opportunistic hunter and scavenger.

1. Great Gray Owl

Great gray owl portrait. Image via depositphotos.

The largest owl by length, the great grey owl is rarely seen, residing in dense forests.

Conclusion

Steaming opaque thermal pools at Norris Geyser Basin. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming – USA. Image via depositphotos.

How many of these animals have you seen before?

Latest posts by Alana Theron, BSc in Biodiversity and Ecology (see all)