List of mammals of Yellowstone National Park explained

See also: List of animals of Yellowstone. There are at least 67 species of mammals known to live within Yellowstone National Park, a 2219791acres protected area in the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.Species are listed by common name, scientific name, typical habitat, and relative abundance.^[1]

Canids

Order: CarnivoraFamily: Canidae

• Coyote (Canis latrans) valleys, grasslands, forests – common
• Northwestern wolf (Canis lupus occidentalis) valleys, grasslands, forests – common
• Wasatch mountain fox (Vulpes vulpes macroura) meadows, forests – common

Bears

Order: CarnivoraFamily: Ursidae

• Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) grasslands, forests, alpine tundra – common
• American black bear (Ursus americanus) forests – common

Raccoons

Order: CarnivoraFamily: Procyonidae

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

Felids

Order: CarnivoraFamily: 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: CarnivoraFamily: Mustelidae

• Wolverine (Gulo gulo) alpine tundra, coniferous forests – rare
• North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) rivers – common
• Pacific marten (Martes caurina) coniferous forests – common
• American ermine or short-tailed weasel (Mustela richardsonii) willows, spruce forests – common
• Long-tailed weasel (Neogale frenata) forests, meadows, wetlands – common
• American mink (Neogale vison) streams, rivers – uncommon
• Fisher (Pekania pennanti) forests – rare
• American badger (Taxidea taxus) grasslands, sagebrush – common

Skunks

Order: CarnivoraFamily: Mephitidae

• Striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis) riparian forests – rare

Rabbits and hares

Order: LagomorphaFamily: 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: LagomorphaFamily: Ochotonidae

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

Bovids

Order: ArtiodactylaFamily: Bovidae

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

Pronghorn

Order: ArtiodactylaFamily: Antilocapridae

• Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) sagebrush, grassland – common

Elk, moose, and deer

Order: ArtiodactylaFamily: Cervidae

• Northwestern white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus ochrourus) grasslands, forests – uncommon
• Rocky Mountain mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus hemionus) grasslands, shrubland, forests – common
• Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus canadensis nelsoni) grasslands, shrubland, forest, alpine tundra – abundant
• Shiras moose (Alces alces shirasi) grasslands, forests, river, lakes – uncommon

Shrews

Order: SoricomorphaFamily: 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: RodentiaFamily: Castoridae

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

Squirrels

Order: RodentiaFamily: Sciuridae

• Least chipmunk (Neotamias minimus) meadows, forests – common
• Uinta chipmunk (Neotamias umbrinus) meadows, forests – common
• Yellow-pine chipmunk (Neotamias 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 (Urocitellus armatus) meadows, sagebrush – common
• Golden-mantled ground squirrel (Callospermophilus lateralis) meadows, forests, rocky areas, alpine tundra – common

Voles and Woodrats

Order: RodentiaFamily: 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

Order: RodentiaFamily: Cricetidae

• Deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) grasslands – common

Jumping mice

Order: RodentiaFamily: Dipodidae

• Western jumping mouse (Zapus princeps) riparian – occasional

Porcupines

Order: RodentiaFamily: Erethizontidae

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

Bats

Order: ChiropteraFamily: 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

See also

• Small mammals of Yellowstone National Park
• Animals of Yellowstone

Further reading

• Book: Streubel, Donald P. . Small Mammals of the Yellowstone Ecosystem . Robert Rineharts . Boulder, CO . 1995 . 0-911797-59-9.
• Book: Broderick, Harold J. . Wild Animals of Yellowstone National Park . Yellowstone Library and Museum Association, Yellowstone National Park, National Park Service . 1954.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Mammals. Yellowstone National Park. National Park Service.