WILDLIFE
IN JACKSON HOLE BY TAYLOR PHILLIPS, owner of Eco Tour Adventures
Nearly 500 animal species inhabit the Greater Yellowstone region. Viewing wildlife can be the highlight of any vacation, but remember, these animals are truly wild and unpredictable. Stay at least 100 yards away from bears and wolves and 25 yards away from all other wildlife. Here are some of the animals you might see in Jackson Hole:
BISON
BIGHORN SHEEP
The bison is the largest North American land mammal; adult males can weigh up to 2,000 pounds. These giant animals are herbivores that mostly graze on grass. They look docile but they are not; do not approach one! Bison account for the majority of animal attacks in the region.
Males are larger than females, weighing on average 250 pounds. Sheep are herbivores, browsing shrubs during the winter and grasses and wildflowers during the summer.
Jackson Hole bison calve from early April through July; the majority of calves are born in May. Another great time to view bison is in August during breeding season, known as the “rut,” because of the males’ aggressive interactions with one another. Best places to view: Yellowstone National Park, Kelly/Antelope Flats loop and Elk Ranch Flats during the summer; National Elk Refuge during the winter. Interesting facts: Bison can jump a 6-foot fence from a standstill and gallop at speeds up to 35 mph. Calves weigh up to 50 pounds and are reddish in color for the first three months of life. After the arrival of settlers, hunting reduced the North American bison population—once estimated to be 30 million—to near extinction. Conservation efforts have restored numbers from some 1,000 animals to about 500,000. Myth buster: Although the term “buffalo” is often used—inaccurately—to describe American bison, these animals are not even closely related to the two major “true” buffalo species, which reside in Africa and Asia.
Best place to view: Miller Butte, in the National Elk Refuge, primarily during winter. During summer, bighorns can be found at high elevations in the Teton and Gros Ventre ranges that border Jackson Hole. Interesting facts: Bighorn sheep’s hooves are able to cup around rocks for traction on sheer rocky faces. Males establish a dominance hierarchy in the fall by running and clashing together, making contact with their horns, sometimes even on very steep slopes.
ELK Large bulls weigh up to 750 pounds. Predominantly grazers, elk eat grass most of the year. During winter, when snow covers the grass, they may consume the bark of aspen trees. Best places to view: Summer—early and late in the day near Timbered Island and Jenny Lake, in Grand Teton National Park. Winter—on the National Elk Refuge. Interesting facts: During the fall rut, dominant males collect harems of about 30 females (cows) on average, breeding with them and driving away other adult males. Before and during this time, bulls bugle (make a loud, screaming vocalization) to advertise their strength and fitness to other elk.
MOOSE The moose is the largest antlered animal in the world. Bulls weigh up to 1,200 pounds. Most moose are solitary, but you may see them in small groups during winter. Best places to view: Willow Flats and along river corridors in Grand Teton National Park during the summer; sagebrush flats during the winter. Interesting facts: Moose can eat as much as 70 pounds of leaves, twigs and aquatic vegetation per day. Their main defense mechanisms are their hard, sharp hoofs. Their antlers, mainly used for display purposes, are among the fastest-growing tissues in the animal world, growing as much as an inch a day. 12
JACKSON HOLE traveler