Glacier National Park - Animals (U.S. National Park Service)

NPS photo.

Several wolf packs occupy parts of Glacier National Park

Glacier National Park's diversity of habitat types creates opportunities for a wide range of animals. Everything from the large and majestic elk of the prairies on the east side of the park, to the small and seldom seen northern bog lemming in the coniferous forests of the wet west side of the park. Many people when they think of Glacier think of bears. Glacier provides the core of one of the largest remaining grizzly bear populations in the lower 48 states. Recent research provides interesting insight to this threatened population. More frequently seen than the grizzly however are the snow-white mountain goats that thrive on the steepest of slopes along the Continental Divide. Wether it's a Golden-mantled ground squirrel in the alpine meadows at Logan Pass or a little brown bat on it's nightly foray for insects around one of the few street lights in the park, a trip to Glacier rewards visitors with a wealth of wildlife sightings and the knowledge that they are helping to preserve one of the planets most amazing ecosystems.