There are many interesting animals and plants in Grand Teton National Park! Let's see if you know what some of them are. Read the descriptions below and then click on the link to find out the answer.
I am a large rodent, about the size of a small housecat, and I like to eat flowers and plants. I double my body weight during the summer to fatten up for the winter. I am a true hibernator; I sleep through the long, cold winters. I love to eat and then lie on a rock in the sun. Some say I have a yellow belly.
I am a member of the rabbit family, and I live in a rocky habitat. My ears are short and round, but large for the size of my head. My tail is invisible. You often hear my shrill alarm, "Enk! Enk!" before you see me. I remain active throughout the year and spend the summer gathering vegetation and drying it out in "haystacks" to store under rocks for food during winter.
I have a slender body with short legs and dense, rich fur. I am a fast swimmer and can hold my breath up to 3 minutes. During the winter, I love to slide on the snow on my belly. I eat aquatic animals, including fish, frogs, and crayfish. I like to make my den in the bank of a stream.
I am the largest member of the deer family, standing at 6-7 feet at the shoulder. My huge antlers are flat and resemble paddles. I prefer to browse on buds, twigs, bark, and leafy vegetation. I often am seen in or near water, where I submerge to find food or get rid of pesky insects.
I am the largest land animal in North America, weighing up to 2,000 pounds. I roam great distances and continuously graze on grasses and sedges. I may not look fast, but I can run at speeds of up to 35 mph. During the winter, my thick coat is so well insulated that snow can cover it without melting.
I am a tall, slender tree that belongs to the pine family. My needles grow in packets of two. I depend on fire to reproduce. My serotinous cones only open to release their seeds after a fire has burned and heated them.
I have mottled gray-brown feathers that help me to camouflage with tree bark and dramatic ear tufts that look like horns. My song sounds like, “hoo-h’Hoo-hoo-hoo.” I am nocturnal and hunt rabbits, weasels, and mice at night. You will not hear me coming when I fly due to my silent wing design.
I have short, rounded ears, long claws, and a shoulder hump on my back. I am an omnivore, meaning that I eat both plants and animals. My diet consists of berries, nuts, roots and other animals. You will not see me during the winter because I hibernate in a safe, warm den.
I am often mistakenly referred to as an antelope due to my similar appearance. I feed primarily on sagebrush and grasses and live in grasslands, brushlands, and deserts. Running at speeds of up to 60 mph, I am the fastest land animal in North America and undertake one of the longest land migrations on the continent.
I am named for my characteristic white head. My nests are the largest of any bird in North America, weighing over a ton! While flying in the sky, I do not flap my wings, instead I soar. I am not a picky eater and will eat everything from fish to small rodents and even dead animals.
I am Wyoming’s state flower. I am bright red to orange in color and look like I have been dipped in paint. I have long, narrow, and pointed leaves. I bloom during the summertime. Hummingbirds are attracted to my red color and are my main pollinator.
I am the largest member of the dog family. I am very social and live within a group called a pack. I howl, whimper, whine, growl, bark, yelp, and snarl to communicate with the rest of my pack. I am a carnivore and eat elk, deer, bison, and other animals.
307-739-3399
Talk to a Ranger? To speak to a Grand Teton National Park ranger call 307–739–3399 for visitor information Monday-Friday during business hours.
