Summer has arrived in Grand Teton National Park, bringing long days and warm temperatures. As daytime highs rise with the season, mid-day wildlife activity decreases significantly. For the best chance to see the park’s remarkable wildlife, head out in the early morning or evening.
● This June has been hotter and drier than average, a combination that affects plant growth and timing. Wildflowers are blooming slightly ahead of schedule but continue to provide ample forage for many animals.
● Mosquitoes are now out in force, though their abundance varies across the landscape. These insects provide food for birds, bats, fish, and other species.
● Several grizzly bear family groups are currently active throughout the park, including females with cubs-of-the-year, yearlings, and two-year-olds. This time of the year, their primary food sources include biscuitroot and elk calves. The summer grizzly bear mating season is ending.
● Black bear activity is increasing around front-country lakeshore areas as black bears forage on seasonally abundant natural foods. Unfortunately, the trend of unnecessary bear spray deployments continues this season. If you see a bear walking on a trail, don’t be alarmed—bears often prefer using the path of least resistance, just like hikers do. Bear spray is only necessary if a bear is running directly at you within close range. Instead, calmly back away, make noise, and step off the trail to allow the bear to pass safely.
● Several black and grizzly bears have recently been captured and fitted with GPS-radio collars. These efforts support ongoing research on black bears in Grand Teton National Park and assist in grizzly bear population monitoring across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. The data gathered from these studies is crucial to the continued conservation and management of black and grizzly bears in the region.
● Trumpeter swan eggs are hatching. Newly hatched cygnets are typically light gray and can swim within 24 hours. They will remain with their parents and grow for about three and a half to four months before taking their first flight.
● The birthing season for Jackson Hole ungulates—hoofed mammals—is winding down. Most newborn ungulates can stand and move shortly after birth. Ungulate species use different strategies to protect their young. Some, like bison, use the “follower strategy”, where calves stay close to their mothers at all times. Others, like deer, elk, and pronghorn, use the “hider strategy”, where mothers hide their newborns and return periodically to nurse them. These young have little to no scent, adaptive coloring, and lie motionless to avoid detection while their mothers forage. This hiding phase, used for the first few weeks, allows them to grow stronger before they start moving alongside their mothers.
● Moose are VERY protective of their young. Please be cautious and give them a wide berth.
● Marmots, one of the largest members of the squirrel family, are active and feeding primarily in the morning and evening resting during the heat of the day.
● Neotropical birds, such as ruby crowned kinglets, western tanagers, and hummingbirds, have returned and are busy breeding and raising young.
● Wolf, coyote, and fox pups from successfully reproducing packs or pairs have now emerged from their dens. They do not stray far from their dens, rendezvous sites, or the watchful eye of adults. They are out and about, learning about the new world around them while playing and growing rapidly.
Park wildlife staff post temporary closures in areas where birds and animals are especially sensitive to human intrusion, like nesting or denning sites. Please observe these closures to give wildlife parents a better chance at successfully raising their young. If you encounter wildlife with young in other areas of the park, please be respectful and give them a wider berth so they do not feel stressed and need to either defend or abandon their young.
