Frequently Asked Questions About Yosemite

NATURAL RESOURCES & WILDLIFE

Can I take this rock (cone, leaf, flower, etc.) home as a souvenir?
Can I feed the animals? Why are the animals here so tame?
Where are all the animals?
Where can I see a deer?
Why are bears breaking into cars?
Are there wolves in Yosemite?
Did we see a fox on the roadway?
Are there rattlesnakes here?
What is the status of peregrine falcons?
What is the status of great grey owls?
Where can I see a great grey owl or peregrine falcon?
Do bald eagles live in Yosemite?
Are there bighorn sheep in the park?
Where can I see a mountain lion?

Can I take this rock (cone, leaf, flower, etc.) home as a souvenir?
No. Please inform visitors that natural objects should remain in the park as integral components of this ecosystem. Imagine if each of Yosemite's 4 million yearly visitors took "just one thing" home!

Can I feed the animals? Why are the animals here so tame?
Animals in the park are wild. Many have become accustomed to people because people have fed them. Feeding animals contributes to poor nutrition, ill health and alters natural behavior patterns. Human-fed animals do not survive as well in the wild. Feeding animals can also endanger visitors (bites, scratches, etc.).

Where are all the animals?
Yosemite is not known for animal- watching on the same scale as parks like Yellowstone. One's chances for seeing wildlife are best in cool summer mornings and evenings or mid-day in winter and by spending a lot of time outdoors being quiet and observant.

Where can I see a deer?
One is most likely to find deer during cool summer mornings and evenings in meadows and oak groves. When driving, be alert for deer bolting across roadways. Never feed nor encourage deer to approach people.

Why are bears breaking into cars?
Black bears are opportunistic feeders. Bears will break into cars in search of food - regardless of the availability of natural food sources. Once bears become conditioned to human food, they become more aggressive in their pursuit of human food, and lose their instinctive fear of humans. In 2000, five bears were killed in Yosemite for this reason.

In 1999, Yosemite began an aggressive visitor education campaign to reduce the amount of human food available to bears. Food lockers were installed at all campgrounds, trailheads, and parking lots. In 2000, there were 654 incidents noted, with $26,000 in damage. Property damage in 1999 ($224,000) decreased by 66% from 1998 ($659,000), while incidents in 1999 (768) decreased by 52% from 1998 (1,590). See the weekly Bear Facts for damage totals so far this year. The only way to solve the problem is to keep ALL sources of unnatural food away from bears! Please spread the word at every opportunity about proper food storage!

All food and odorous items must be stored in metal food storage boxes provided at all campgrounds, trailheads, and parking areas. DO NOT LEAVE FOOD IN CARS, CAR TRUNKS, OR TENT CABINS. To report trash problems, improper food storage, bear sightings, and other bear-related problems, call the SAVE-A-BEAR HOTLINE at (209)372-0200 (press 2, then 4).

Are there wolves in Yosemite?
No. Visitors may confuse the park's coyotes with wolves. Wildlife experts suspect that wolves never naturally existed in the Sierra. There was one reported sighting of a wolf in the 1800s.

Did we see a fox on the roadway?
Probably not, if you saw it in the daytime. Coyotes are far more commonly seen, especially during the day. Both red foxes (very rare) and grey foxes live in Yosemite. They are principally nocturnal animals, rarely seen during daylight hours.

Are there rattlesnakes here?
Yes. While it's important to be alert, you need not be overly fearful of them. They generally live between the 2,000 to 7,000 feet elevation range, though rattlesnakes have been seen as high as 9,000 feet. Typically, visitors see rattlesnakes in the summer while hiking during the morning when snakes come out to warm themselves in sunny, boulder-strewn areas.

What is the status of peregrine falcons?
Peregrine falcons have been removed from the endangered species list. Through a fairly complicated augmentation procedure, peregrine falcon population and numbers of nests have increased in recent years. Several known nest sites exist in the park, including a few sites in Yosemite Valley. The Santa Cruz Predatory Bird Research Group and the Yosemite Fund have monitored known nest sites and introduced healthy chicks into nests. Nest monitors recorded sighting/behavior of adult and juvenile birds. The park has previously tried introducing more peregrines into this region through a "hacking" program which helps young birds get established without the aid of adult birds. Climbing closures are usually in effect each year to protect sensitive peregrine falcon nesting sites. Please check with park visitor centers or wilderness centers for current closures (contained in the Compendium).

What is the status of great grey owls?
They remain an endangered species within California. The population in the Yosemite region is perhaps the healthiest within the state and is the most southern population in North America. There are an estimated 40 within the park. Research continues in an effort to understand how to best protect this largest of North American owls. Concern exists over the Yosemite population becoming genetically isolated as a breeding unit.

Where can I see a great grey owl or peregrine falcon?
Great grey owls nest in the middle elevation areas of the park where forests and meadows come together. Peregrine falcons usually nest from March through July on the cliffs of Half Dome, El Capitan and in the Hetch Hetchy area.

Do bald eagles live in Yosemite?
Yes, but only in the winter months. A number of birds winter around some of the unfrozen, middle elevation lakes in the northwest portion of the park (since bald eagles principally eat fish). These birds probably migrate north for the nesting season.

Are there bighorn sheep in the park?
After being absent for more than 80 years, native Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep were reintroduced to Lee Vining Canyon, near the eastern boundary of the park in March 1986. After initial setbacks, the herd increased rapidly so that by 1991, the herd numbered more than 85 sheep. Unfortunately, due to a combination of heavy winters, mountain lion predation, and behavioral changes in response to lion predation, herd numbers have declined precipitously. The Lee Vining herd now contains fewer than 20 individuals. Similar declines have occurred throughout the Sierra Nevada and today, only about 100 native bighorn remain in the entire range. In 1999, Sierra Nevada bighorn were placed on the Federal Endangered Species List. The future of Sierra Nevada bighorn remains uncertain as the Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery Team strives to develop a strategy to save these magnificent creatures from extinction.

Where can I see a mountain lion?
A recent study supported by the Yosemite Fund suggests that mountain lions occur throughout Yosemite National Park. They are rarely seen by humans, however, because mountain lions are primarily nocturnal in their activities and they generally avoid developed areas. Mountain lions are most frequently encountered crossing the Park's roads at night. They also sporadically visit Yosemite Valley, where they appear to be preying on raccoons and coyotes attracted by visitor handouts. Mountain lions are formidable predators fully capable of killing a person. Fortunately, attacks on humans are extremely rare (you are more likely to be struck by lightning). If you encounter a mountain lion on a trail, DO NOT RUN! This will only incite them to chase. Instead, back away slowly. If you are with children, pick up and carry the child. If you do see a mountain lion, consider yourself lucky to have glimpsed one of Yosemite's most elusive inhabitants.