Other Wildlife
Northwestern Wyoming supports an abundance of wildlife in national parks, national forest and national wilderness. The geologic processes that resulted in mountain building and sculpting have also determined where plants grow that other wildlife feed on.
Beaver Lodge at the base of the Grand Teton
© Peter Volf Photography
Herbivores, plant eating animals, like moose, mule deer and elk are present where their food source can be found. Carnivores, meat eating animals, like bears, coyotes and weasels follow their prey. Millions of years of geologic activity created a dramatic scenery in the wilds of the Rocky Mountains and in the area surrounding Cody, Wyoming. This can indirectly account for the distribution and abundance of wildlife and plants found here.
Today glacial remnants, moraines, support forests of lodgepole pine and other conifers. Elk and black bear seek refuge and shade in morainal forests and graze in nearby meadows during cooler parts of the day. Vegetation like sagebrush, certain grasses and wildflowers thrive in the poor, dry and rocky soils of the area. Some mammals and birds favor the sagebrush flats, despite the hot and dry conditions. Bison graze on grasses growing among the sagebrush, while pronghorns and sage grouse eat the sagebrush.
The waterways and rivers of the area play an active roll in providing the ideal environment for bald eagles, beavers, Canadian Geese, ducks, moose, and a multitude of songbirds. Cottonwoods and blue spruces grow along this river where bald eagles nest. Beavers occassionally dam side channels, establishing ponds that waterfowl use for nesting and feeding. Moose and beavers feed on willows that flourish in wetlands along the river, also offering great coverage and nesting sites for a variety of birds.
The key to a successful wildlife adventure is to understand your environment. Learn the topography and landscape of the region. Note the work of glaciers in the valley, and the vegetation in the mountains and along rivers. The presence of wildlife provides clues to the past, the processes that formed and shaped the area, as the knowledge of the past provides clues to the presence of other wildlife. Familiarity with the habitats and habits of wildlife results in increased viewing opportunities.
Currently OutsideOther pages you might find helpful:
Black Footed Ferret Research
A collection of graduate research for Black Footed Ferret studies was performed in Meeteetse.
Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center
The Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center strives to protect the wild local herd of Mustangs.
Saving the Ferret
Saving the Ferret is an organization that strives to protect the Black Footed Ferret, a population of which lives in Meeteetse.
Wyoming Wildlife
From bison to bears, you are sure to see wildlife in Grand Teton National Park.
