Wildlife of California’s Yosemite National Park

In the Sierra Nevada mountain range, Yosemite National Park is famous for breathtaking scenery and incredible diversity.

California’s most famous national park has stunning landscapes of deep valleys, ancient sequoia forests, serene lakes, gushing waterfalls and staggering granite cliffs such as El Capitan. Yosemite’s wild, tranquil beauty was recognised as a World Heritage Site in 1984 and has long been a haven for hiking, rock climbing and scenic drives on holidays to California.

Yosemite’s 750,000 acres are inhabited by over 400 species of wildlife, including 90 types of mammals, some of which can be spotted on hiking tours with specialist guides taking you to the best places to see wildlife. Here is our pick of the top 5 wildlife watching experiences and when to see them in Yosemite National Park, California:

1. Bears

Yosemite is home to more than 300 American black bears. Despite their name, many black bears in the park are actually brown and mistaken for larger, more fearsome grizzlies. They are both hunters and scavengers, and feeding them is strictly prohibited, but many are very quick at stealing picnic food, so keep your wits about you! They can often be seen on riverbanks looking for fish or foraging through forests. Bear hibernate between November and March so the best time to see them is April to October, often in early morning or early evening.

2. Birds

Yosemite has more than 200 species of birds. One of the most colourful is the yellow and orange Western Tanager (pictured above), while larger species include the fastest bird in the world, the peregrine falcon, and the largest land bird in North America, the Californian condor. Bring your binoculars to see them nesting or soaring overhead. Spring and summer are the best times for bird-watching in Yosemite, although there are many species throughout the year.

3. Big cats

Yosemite is home to mountain lions, (pictured above) bobcats and cougars, although you will be lucky to see them. Mountain lions are very rare but occasionally seen during the day, while elusive bobcats are nocturnal hunters, and able to leap up to 12 feet. Most of Yosemite’s big cats hunt deer as well as smaller mammals. While the warmer months are the best time to visit the park, you may have a better chance of seeing big cats in winter when there are fewer visitors.

4. Mule deer

These beautiful animals are slightly unfairly named because of the shape of their ears. They are often seen grazing in pastures at dawn and dusk, but should not be approached because bucks can be aggressive. They can jump up to 10 feet and are very fast, as they need to be to outrun predatory big cats. Deer can be seen year-round but especially in autumn, when males battle during rutting season.

5. Bighorn sheep

Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep are famous for their impressive, spiralling horns. They are very skilled at climbing, often seen on higher ground, scaling cliffs and congregating in groups. Yosemite’s bighorn sheep were wiped out by diseases spread by livestock in the early 20th century but are thriving once again after a repopulation programme has proven successful since the 1980’s. Bighorn sheep can be seen year-round and tend to be on higher ground in the warmer months and lower elevations during winter.

Other wildlife of yosemite:

Yosemite National Park’s 90 species of mammals include the entertaining yellow-bellied marmots (pictured above), often seen sunbathing on rocks, as well as Pacific fishers (members of the weasel family), coyotes and red foxes. These species are easier to spot in the warmer months.

If you’d like to explore Yosemite as well as other stunning California landscapes, take a look at Journeyscape’s 15 day tour of California’s National Parks, including Yosemite, Sequoia, King’s Canyon, Joshua Tree and Death Valley.