Terrestrial Mammals

Mountains, valleys, forests, rivers and ocean all define the landscape of Olympic National Park. Located on a peninsula, the rocky and sandy beaches of the ocean surround the layers of towering, lush forests, which surround the scree slopes and glacial terrain of the tallest peaks. This diverse landscape provides habitat for a variety of mammals. Some species can be found throughout the park and others can only be found in specific habitats. Where species live can depend on the season. Some species migrate with the year, leaving mountain meadows behind as the snow falls while others hibernate. Mammals may be seen not just with all four legs on the ground, but scurrying from burrows, clambering through the canopy, resting on the beach, frolicking in the sea, and even soaring through the air.

Telling a Story of Time
What is now Olympic National Park was at one time isolated by geological barriers like the massive glaciers moving through. This changed and influenced the park we know today and what inhabits it. This isolation gave evolution enough time to give rise to some endemic species, several of which are mammals, that are found only here and nowhere else in the world.

This same isolation no longer exists. As the landscape became more accessible, it changed the story of the park inhabitants once more. People came into the area about 14,000 years ago, but they aren't the only new residents. In the past 100 years mammlas such as coyotes, foxes, oppossums, and mountain goats have moved to the area, some migrated on their own while others arrived with assistance from people have all migrated into the area over the past 100 years or so. And some native mammals, such as wolves, were extirpated.

 

Do Not Feed or Handle Animals in the Park!

All wildlife in national parks are protected by federal law. According to the Code of Federal Regulations, 36 CFR § 2.2, the feeding, touching, teasing, calling, frightening or intentional disturbing of wildlife nesting, breeding or other activities is prohibited. Using apps to call out birds within the park is considered harrassment, especially if the bird is federally listed as threatened or endangered.

 

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Species Attribute Definitions

Definitions

Occurrence

Occurrence values are defined below. One or more Occurrence Tags may be associated with each Occurrence value.

Present: Species occurs in park; current, reliable evidence available.

Probably Present: High confidence species occurs in park but current, verified evidence needed.

Unconfirmed: Species is attributed to park but evidence is weak or absent.

Not In Park: Species is not known to occur in park.

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Occurrence Tags

Adjacent: Species is known to occur in areas near to or contiguous with park boundaries.

False Report: Species was reported to occur within the park, but current evidence indicates the report was based on misidentification, a taxonomic concept no longer accepted, or other similar problem of error or interpretation.

Historical: Species' historical occurrence in park is documented. Assigned based on judgment as opposed to determination based on age of the most recent evidence.

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Abundance

Abundant:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, and counted in relatively large numbers.
• Plants: Large number of individuals; wide ecological amplitude or occurring in habitats covering a large portion of the park.

Common:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, but not in large numbers.
• Plants: Large numbers of individuals predictably occurring in commonly encountered habitats but not those covering a large portion of the park.

Uncommon:

• Animals: Likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season. May be locally common.
• Plants: Few to moderate numbers of individuals; occurring either sporadically in commonly encountered habitats or in uncommon habitats.

Rare:

• Animals: Present, but usually seen only a few times each year.
• Plants: Few individuals, usually restricted to small areas of rare habitat.

Occasional:

• Animals: Occurs in the park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year.
• Plants: Abundance variable from year to year (e.g., desert plants).

Unknown: Abundance unknown

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Nativeness

Native: Species naturally occurs in park or region.

Non-native: Species occurs on park lands as a result of deliberate or accidental human activities.

Unknown: Nativeness status is unknown or ambiguous.

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List Differences

The Checklist contains only those species that are designated as "present" or "probably present" in the park.

The Full List includes all the checklist species in addition to species that are unconfirmed, historically detected, or incorrectly reported as being found in the park. The full list also contains species that are "in review" because their status in the park hasn't been fully determined. Additional details about the status of each species is included in the full list.

The checklist will almost always contain fewer species than the full list.

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Olympic National Park

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Species attribute definitions

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Visit NPSpecies for more comprehensive information and advanced search capability. Have a suggestion or comment on this list? Let us know.

 

Learn More About Specific Species:

 

 

If you are concerned about dead, injured, or distressed wildlife let a park ranger know or fill out this online report. Do NOT attempt to rescue it yourself.

 

 

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  Watching Wildlife

  Ethical Wildlife Viewing

  Animals in parks are wild—Visitors are responsible for their own safety and for the safety of the animals, too.

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  Wildlife and Natural Processes

  Learn more about how Wildness, or natural processes, are an important part of Olympic National Park.

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  Olympic NP Animals

  Olympic is home to a wide variety of animals from mammals to mollusks and much more. Learn about them here.