Mammals in Denali

 

Scientists in Denali have documented 39 species of mammals that range in size from tiny shrews that can weigh as little as a penny to enormous moose that can weigh over 1,200+ pounds.

The Big Five

For many visitors adventuring to the park, a major goal is to see wildlife. Five mammals in particular capture visitor's imaginations and are so popular they are now referred to as the big five. The assortment includes gawky moose browsing in the willow, throngs of caribou loping across the tundra, the iconic Dall sheep nestled high on the hillsides, formidable wolves on the prowl, and lumbering grizzly bears devouring blueberries.

Creatures Great and Small

Other mammals in Denali may be less alluring but are no less interesting and important. Sit on a talus slope and you might discover a collared pika gathering food for winter, a hoary marmot lounging in the sun on a rock, or a red fox carrying an arctic ground squirrel back to its den.

If you venture to the park during the icy winter months, you may see all-white snowshoe hares hiding quietly amidst the snow piles, a wolverine bounding across the hillside hunting for its next meal, or perhaps you will hear voles and shrews scurrying beneath your feet in the space between the ground and the snow.

No matter whether you hope to see a black bear or are happy watching scurrying red squirrels, Denali undoubtedly has a wide array of mammals that will help foster your connection with nature.


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Learn More About Mammals in Denali

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    Last updated: July 11, 2019

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    PO Box 9
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