Wildlife Watching in America's National Parks: A Seasonal Guide

Preface

Preface The idea for this book surfaced while observing an evening flight of bats at Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico. A small gathering of people watched in awe as wave after wave of bats exited the cave, circled overhead in the fading light, and then disappeared into the night sky. It was apparent that many of the spectators had arrived at the park only a few hours earlier, solely to tour the cave and view its geologic wonders, unaware that on this summer evening one of nature’s great wildlife spectacles would occur. It was also apparent that many other park visitors, including families with children, had left the park earlier in the day and were back at their hotel rooms. They had missed a breathtaking and unforgettable wildlife-viewing experience. unfortunately, this pattern is played out in national parks across the country. Geysers, mountains, and caves attract the visitors in large part because they are easy to see and reliable. Yet it’s the elusive wildlife that often leaves the most indelible memories. A glimpse of a wolf, the roar of the rutting bison, or the playful antics of the prairie dog are not soon forgotten . But seeing these creatures is not always easy, especially for folks who have limited outdoor experience. Therefore, we have written this book as a guide to seeing wild animals in America’s national parks. We recognize that people have busy lives and may have limited time to view wildlife, so we’ve identified the best places and times to see the critters . For example, spring is a great time to observe black bears at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, as the animals have just emerged from their winter slumber and are out foraging in the greening meadows. Furthermore, the crowds of people are smaller than they are in summer. We also identify times when the animals are most interesting, enhancing the observer’s experience. For example, winter is one of the best times to watch bald eagles as they congregate near the open water of the Mississippi National river and recreation Area. At this time of year visitors are assured of watching scores of eagles hunt, fight, steal prey, court, and exhibit all the other behaviors that make them so fascinating. And Preface x | because no animal is an island, we discuss the other species that our focal species interact with, including species they prey on, or may be preyed by. After all, truly understanding the focal species can only be attained when visitors appreciate the intricate web of life they are a part of. As the title implies, this is also a book about America’s national parks. Our National Park System has often been described as America’s best idea, and we concur. Our national parks are part of our history and, we hope, part of our future and a gift to future generations. Wildlife is an integral part of what makes these lands so priceless. There is, of course, lots of great information already available regarding our parks; however, when it comes to seeing wildlife in the parks, much of that information only scratches the surface. The existing information may give you a list of species present in a park, but we try to tell you how best to see the animals , where in the park they are, and when the best time is to see them. Furthermore, we cover the entire National Park System, giving the reader a system-wide perspective on wildlife watching. As this book demonstrates , just about every part of the country has a park unit within a short drive.1 readers may notice that the feature parks are all located in the lower forty-eight states. Our goal is to highlight parks and wildlife that are easily accessible to large numbers of people. There are, of course, incredible wildlife-viewing opportunities in Alaska, Hawaii, and the uS territories outside the contiguous states (e.g., Virgin Islands), but space limitations allow us to mention only a few of these spectacular parks. Although our goal is to describe wildlife watching in national parks, there is simply no way we could cover the tens of thousands of species found in the hundreds of park units. Therefore, we feature twelve charismatic and sought-after wildlife species, found in twelve spectacular parks, and best experienced in twelve different months. These feature stories represent the wonderful diversity and opportunities found throughout the entire park system. However, these accounts should be...