Bryce Canyon National Park Animals

There are three life zones in the park based on elevation:

• The lowest areas of the park are dominated by dwarf forests of pinyon pine and juniper with manzanita, serviceberry, and antelope bitterbrush in between. Aspen, cottonwoods, Water birch, and willow grow in along streams.
• Ponderosa Pine forests cover the mid-elevations with Blue Spruce and Douglas-fir in water-rich areas and manzanita and bitterbrush as underbrush.
• Douglas-fir and White Fir, along with Aspen and Engelmann Spruce, make up the forests on the Paunsaugunt Plateau. The harshest areas have Limber Pine and ancient Great Basin Bristlecone Pine holding on.

The forests and meadows of Bryce Canyon provide the habitat to support diverse animal life, from birds and small mammals to foxes and occasional bobcats, mountain lions, and black bears. Mule deer are the most common large mammals in the park. Elk and pronghorn antelope, which have been reintroduced nearby, sometimes venture into the park.

Mammals of Bryce Canyon

Bryce Canyon is home to 59 species of mammals including Elk, Black Bear, Pronghorn Antelope, Mule Deer, Mountain Lion, Bobcat, Coyote, Badger, Porcupine, Ringtail, Muskrat, Striped Skunks, White-tailed Prairie Dog, marmots, Red Squirrel, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, Uinta Chipmunk and Cliff Chipmunk.

In winter, the mule deer, mountain lion, and coyotes will migrate to lower elevations. Ground squirrels and marmots pass the winter in hibernation.

Birds that visit Bryce Canyon

175 different species of birds have been documented to frequent Bryce Canyon National Park, including swifts, turkeys, red-tailed hawks, swallows, jays, ravens, nuthatches, ravens, eagles and owls.

Most bird species migrate to warmer regions in winter, but jays, ravens, nuthatches, eagles, and owls stay.

Tough love for our furry and feathered friends

When visiting, do not, under any circumstances, feed the wildlife or allow wildlife to obtain human food. Animals which obtain food from humans often become aggressive, will sometimes get ill or even die due to a change in diet, and most seriously stop foraging for natural foods and frequently starve to death in winter months when human food is no longer available.

Natural Restriction of Human Development

While humans have greatly reduced the amount of habitat that is available to wildlife in most parts of the United States, the relative scarcity of water in southern Utah restricts human development and helps account for the region's greatly enhanced diversity of wildlife.