Yosemite National Park

🇺🇸 United States

🐻 Black Bear and Mule Deer Valley

🌍 #201 Global · 3.5 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #30 in North America #29 in Temperate Forest

Sierra Nevada, United States 548 spp. recorded

Yosemite Valley is a flat meadow floor between granite walls, and that floor is where the animals are. Mule deer graze it on eight visits in ten and California ground squirrels are on every rock; black bears work the oaks and the campgrounds on more than half of visits.

37.859° N 119.553° W

Wildlife

⭐ Iconic Species

American Black Bear

Ursus americanus

40–50% · Likely

Mule Deer

Odocoileus hemionus

70–80% · Very likely

Yellow-bellied Marmot

Marmota flaviventris

40–50% · Likely

Sierra Newt

Taricha sierrae

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Dark-eyed Junco

Junco hyemalis

80–90% · Very likely

Steller's Jay

Cyanocitta stelleri

70–80% · Very likely

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

70–80% · Very likely

Common Raven

Corvus corax

70–80% · Very likely

California Ground Squirrel

Otospermophilus beecheyi

60–70% · Likely

Mountain Chickadee

Poecile gambeli

60–70% · Likely

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Setophaga coronata

60–70% · Likely

Western Gray Squirrel

Sciurus griseus

50–60% · Likely

Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus

50–60% · Likely

Western Fence Lizard

Sceloporus occidentalis

40–50% · Likely

Song Sparrow

Melospiza melodia

40–50% · Likely

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta canadensis

40–50% · Likely

⭐ Iconic Species

American Black Bear

Ursus americanus

40–50% · Likely

Mule Deer

Odocoileus hemionus

70–80% · Very likely

Yellow-bellied Marmot

Marmota flaviventris

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

California Ground Squirrel

Otospermophilus beecheyi

60–70% · Likely

Western Gray Squirrel

Sciurus griseus

50–60% · Likely

Douglas' Squirrel

Tamiasciurus douglasii

30–40% · Possible

Belding's Ground Squirrel

Urocitellus beldingi

30–40% · Possible

Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel

Callospermophilus lateralis

30–40% · Possible

Gray Fox

Urocyon cinereoargenteus

30–40% · Possible

Coyote

Canis latrans

30–40% · Possible

American Pika

Ochotona princeps

30–40% · Possible

Bobcat

Lynx rufus

20–30% · Possible

Black-tailed Jackrabbit

Lepus californicus

20–30% · Possible

Lodgepole Chipmunk

Tamias speciosus

10–20% · With luck

Alpine Chipmunk

Tamias alpinus

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Dark-eyed Junco

Junco hyemalis

80–90% · Very likely

Steller's Jay

Cyanocitta stelleri

70–80% · Very likely

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

70–80% · Very likely

Common Raven

Corvus corax

70–80% · Very likely

Mountain Chickadee

Poecile gambeli

60–70% · Likely

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Setophaga coronata

60–70% · Likely

Northern Flicker

Colaptes auratus

50–60% · Likely

Song Sparrow

Melospiza melodia

40–50% · Likely

Red-breasted Nuthatch

Sitta canadensis

40–50% · Likely

Brown Creeper

Certhia americana

40–50% · Likely

Brewer's Blackbird

Euphagus cyanocephalus

40–50% · Likely

Western Wood-Pewee

Contopus sordidulus

40–50% · Likely

📊 Most Spotted

Western Fence Lizard

Sceloporus occidentalis

40–50% · Likely

Sagebrush Lizard

Sceloporus graciosus

20–30% · Possible

Western Rattlesnake

Crotalus oreganus

20–30% · Possible

Gilbert's Skink

Plestiodon gilberti

20–30% · Possible

California Mountain Kingsnake

Lampropeltis zonata

10–20% · With luck

Western Terrestrial Garter Snake

Thamnophis elegans

10–20% · With luck

Northern Alligator Lizard

Elgaria coerulea

10–20% · With luck

Western Aquatic Garter Snake

Thamnophis couchii

10–20% · With luck

Northern Rubber Boa

Charina bottae

10–20% · With luck

Southern Alligator Lizard

Elgaria multicarinata

10–20% · With luck

Western Whiptail

Aspidoscelis tigris

10–20% · With luck

Gopher Snake

Pituophis catenifer

10–20% · With luck

⭐ Iconic Species

Sierra Newt

Taricha sierrae

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

Pacific chorus frog

Pseudacris regilla

40–50% · Likely

Yosemite Toad

Anaxyrus canorus

10–20% · With luck

American Bullfrog

Lithobates catesbeianus

10–20% · With luck

Sierra Nevada Yellow-legged Frog

Rana sierrae

10–20% · With luck

Western Toad

Anaxyrus boreas

10–20% · With luck

Ensatina

Ensatina eschscholtzii

5–10% · With luck

Mount Lyell Salamander

Hydromantes platycephalus

5–10% · Rare

California Red-legged Frog

Rana draytonii

Gregarious Slender Salamander

Batrachoseps gregarius

Insufficient data

Arboreal Salamander

Aneides lugubris

Insufficient data

Hell Hollow Slender Salamander

Batrachoseps diabolicus

Insufficient data

Limestone Salamander

Hydromantes brunus

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🐻

Bears in the Oaks

OctNov

Black bears feed heavily on acorns before winter and mule deer move down into the valley.

Mule Deer

Odocoileus hemionus

70–80% · Very likely

American Black Bear

Ursus americanus

40–50% · Likely

🦎

Marmots and Lizards on the Granite

JulAug

Yellow-bellied marmots sun on the high rock and sagebrush lizards are active across the slabs.

Yellow-bellied Marmot

Marmota flaviventris

40–50% · Likely

Sagebrush Lizard

Sceloporus graciosus

20–30% · Possible

🐸

Newts and Tree Frogs After the Snow

JanFebMar

Sierra newts move to the streams to breed and Pacific tree frogs call from the meadows.

Pacific chorus frog

Pseudacris regilla

40–50% · Likely

Sierra Newt

Taricha sierrae

10–20% · With luck

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Species Total

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

60–70

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

50–60

American Black Bear

20–30

20–30

20–30

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

60–70

40–50

40–50

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

80–90

90–100

Yellow-bellied Marmot

10–20

<5

<5

5–10

30–40

50–60

60–70

50–60

30–40

10–20

<5

<5

20–30

30–40

40–50

30–40

20–30

10–20

5–10

<5

<5

10–20

10–20

30–40

Dark-eyed Junco

60–70

70–80

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

80–90

50–60

60–70

70–80

60–70

70–80

80–90

80–90

70–80

70–80

70–80

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

60–70

60–70

80–90

70–80

80–90

80–90

70–80

60–70

50–60

40–50

60–70

50–60

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

70–80

60–70

60–70

60–70

80–90

80–90

80–90

80–90

California Ground Squirrel

20–30

30–40

40–50

60–70

70–80

60–70

60–70

70–80

70–80

70–80

60–70

20–30

Mountain Chickadee

60–70

50–60

60–70

40–50

40–50

60–70

70–80

80–90

70–80

80–90

60–70

60–70

Yellow-rumped Warbler

30–40

40–50

30–40

80–90

60–70

70–80

60–70

50–60

50–60

60–70

30–40

40–50

Western Gray Squirrel

80–90

70–80

70–80

60–70

50–60

40–50

40–50

40–50

50–60

70–80

70–80

80–90

Northern Flicker

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

50–60

40–50

50–60

40–50

60–70

60–70

70–80

60–70

Western Fence Lizard

10–20

10–20

40–50

40–50

60–70

50–60

40–50

40–50

50–60

30–40

10–20

<5

30–40

40–50

40–50

60–70

60–70

50–60

50–60

30–40

20–30

20–30

20–30

20–30

Red-breasted Nuthatch

20–30

30–40

50–60

40–50

40–50

30–40

40–50

50–60

70–80

70–80

40–50

50–60

Animal Events

🐻 Bears in the Oaks

🦎 Marmots and Lizards on the Granite

🐸 Newts and Tree Frogs After the Snow

Sighting Zones

Warm areas are where all species together are recorded most, so they track where people go as much as where animals are. For one species, see the map on its own page.

0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Good

🐻 Black Bear and Mule Deer Valley

🦜

Biodiversity

Very good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg

4.3 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

Species by taxon

🦅 Birds

347

🐒 Mammals

138

🦎 Reptiles

35

🐸 Amphibians

28

548 Total Species

850 Global average across 296 parks

17 Threatened 118 Endemic

🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg

3.1 ★★★★★ ★★★★★

🎯

Top-12 Avg Probability

62% Global avg

65%

📊

Coverage (127 species at ≥5% of 548 in the inventory)

24% Global avg

23%

🔀

Taxon variety in top 12 (8 bird, 3 mammal, 1 reptile)

46% Global avg

65%

🔭

Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)

134 Global avg

85

🌟

Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)

15 Global avg

5

⭐

High-prob species (>40%)

27 Global avg

19

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Yosemite National Park?

The most likely sightings are Dark-eyed Junco (seen by 80–90% of wildlife watchers), Steller's Jay (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), Mule Deer (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), American Robin (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), Common Raven (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers) — among 548 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Yosemite National Park for wildlife?

May has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Can you see American Black Bear in Yosemite National Park?

Yes — about 47% of wildlife watchers report a American Black Bear sighting in Yosemite National Park, based on 494 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Mule Deer in Yosemite National Park?

Yes — about 75% of wildlife watchers report a Mule Deer sighting in Yosemite National Park, based on 1,559 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Yellow-bellied Marmot in Yosemite National Park?

Yes — about 46% of wildlife watchers report a Yellow-bellied Marmot sighting in Yosemite National Park, based on 473 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Sierra Newt in Yosemite National Park?

Yes — about 19% of wildlife watchers report a Sierra Newt sighting in Yosemite National Park, based on 107 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

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