Watching Wildlife in Yellowstone with Kids
Yellowstone may not be home to nomadic elephant herds or bushy-maned lions yet the wildlife at this U.S. National Park is no less exciting. Watch bison bulls shake the earth as they collide in battle. Observe gray wolves stalk their prey by wit and cunning. View grizzlies feasting on the labors of another species. Yellowstone is inhabited by all the same large mammals as at the end of the Pleistocene era. Black bear, coyote, red fox, mountain lion, moose, elk, pronghorn, mule deer, bighorn sheep, bald eagles, peregrine falcons, river otter and trumpeter swans are just a few of the animals and ... Read Morebirds spotted here. But before you pack your bags for a wildlife safari in Yellowstone National Park put aside any notions of private game viewings in open-air vehicles. Picture instead roadside sightings with friendly aficionados willing to share their scope as well as their experience. Yellowstone is the Serengeti of North America in all ways but one.
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Maps
Maps are a great way to get the kids involved in planning a family vacation. Ask them to research the top wildlife watching destinations in Yellowstone and have them plot their findings on a map. Have them use online maps to locate the historic range for grizzly bears and gray wolves, two Yellowstone natives. Print your finding and take them on your trip. Your kids may want to include one or more in their family travel scrapbook.
Yellowstone Maps
National Park Service Current and Historic Grizzly Range Sightline Institute Current and Historic Gray Wolf Range Sightline Institute Books
Books are a great way to introduce younger children to a new adventure and get teens and tweens ready for a family trip. Get recommended reading lists for adults and kids and in addition to learning about animals and nature discover the history and culture of Wyoming.
Music & Sound
Explore wildlife through sound. Listen to a daintree whistling frog in Australia, a harp seal in Canada, a field cricket in France and a colobus monkey in Kenya. Learn to identify birdcalls before you depart on a bird watching tour. Find out why the sounds made by animals are considered song.
Kids' Stuff
Online resources make learning lots of fun. Get fun facts about wildlife. Learn about animals and birds. Play wildlife games online. Test your knowledge when you're finished. And before you depart on a wildlife watching trip in Yellowstone National Park, print out mammal and bird checklists and pack them in your suitcase. Check off the species you spot in the park and hold a competition with your siblings. Which member of your family has the sharpest eye?
Organizations
Associations and non-profit organizations can be a valuable resource as well as means to get involved. Find out more about a few of the organizations involved in the conservation and preservation of Yellowstone National Park.
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Recommended Reads for a Wildlife Watching Trip