Wildlife
What lives in Lake Clark
Last verified NPS species database
Every animal below comes from the National Park Service’s own species list for Lake Clark: 36 mammals, 158 birds, 0 reptiles, 1 amphibians and 43 fish recorded as present. Status words (present, unconfirmed, not in park) are the NPS’s, not ours.
Animals people ask about
Grizzly / brown bear
Ursus arctos · Common
Black bear
Ursus americanus · Common
Gray wolf
Canis lupus · Common
Coyote
Canis latrans · Common
Canada lynx
Lynx canadensis · Uncommon
Wolverine
Gulo gulo · Uncommon
Moose
Alces alces · Common
Caribou
Rangifer tarandus · Common
Sea otter
Enhydra lutris kenyoni · Occasional
Bald eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus · Common
Golden eagle
Aquila chrysaetos · Uncommon
By group
Species counts
Present or probably present per the NPS list. “Listed” includes species the NPS has evaluated but marks unconfirmed or not in park.
- Mammals
- 42
- 50 listed
- Birds
- 168
- 193 listed
- Reptiles
- 0
- 0 listed
- Amphibians
- 1
- 1 listed
- Fish
- 46
- 55 listed
Endangered Species Act
1 threatened or endangered species
Federal listing status as recorded in the NPS species database.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beluga | Delphinapterus leucas | Rare | Endangered |
Mammals
All 42 mammals recorded in Lake Clark
Most abundant first, as the NPS rates them.
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American beaver | Castor canadensis | Common | ||
| Arctic ground squirrel | Spermophilus parryii | Common | ||
| Black bear | Ursus americanus | Common | ||
| Brown bear | Ursus arctos | Common | ||
| Caribou | Rangifer tarandus | Common | ||
| Coyote | Canis latrans | Common | ||
| Dall's sheep | Ovis dalli | Common | ||
| Gray wolf | Canis lupus | Common | ||
| Moose | Alces alces | Common | ||
| Red fox | Vulpes vulpes | Common | ||
| Red squirrel | Tamiasciurus hudsonicus | Common | ||
| Canada lynx | Lynx canadensis | Uncommon |
Show the other 30 mammals ↓The other 30
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harbor porpoise | Phocoena phocoena | Uncommon | ||
| Harbor seal | Phoca vitulina | Uncommon | ||
| Muskrat | Ondatra zibethicus | Uncommon | ||
| Wolverine | Gulo gulo | Uncommon | ||
| Eastern Sea Otter | Enhydra lutris kenyoni | Occasional | ||
| Hoary marmot | Marmota caligata | Occasional | ||
| Beluga | Delphinapterus leucas | Rare | Endangered | |
| Killer whale | Orcinus orca | Rare | ||
| Alaska vole | Microtus miurus | |||
| American marten | Martes americana | |||
| Brown lemming | Lemmus trimucronatus | Probably Present | ||
| Collared pika | Ochotona collaris | |||
| Dusky shrew | Sorex monticolus | |||
| Ermine | Mustela erminea | |||
| Least weasel | Mustela nivalis | Probably Present | ||
| Little brown bat | Myotis lucifugus | |||
| Masked shrew | Sorex cinereus | |||
| Meadow jumping mouse | Zapus hudsonius | |||
| Meadow vole | Microtus pennsylvanicus | |||
| Mink | Mustela vison | Probably Present | ||
| Northern bog lemming | Synaptomys borealis | |||
| Northern collared lemming | Dicrostonyx groenlandicus | Probably Present | ||
| Northern red-backed vole | Clethrionomys rutilus | |||
| Northern river otter | Lontra canadensis | Probably Present | ||
| Porcupine | Erethizon dorsatum | |||
| Pygmy shrew | Sorex hoyi | Probably Present | ||
| Snowshoe hare | Lepus americanus | |||
| Tiny shrew | Sorex yukonicus | |||
| Tundra shrew | Sorex tundrensis | |||
| Tundra vole | Microtus oeconomus |
Birds
168 birds — show the list ↓
Birds
168 birds — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern goshawk | Accipiter gentilis | ||
| Sharp-shinned hawk | Accipiter striatus | ||
| Spotted sandpiper | Actitis macularius | ||
| Northern saw-whet owl | Aegolius acadicus | ||
| Boreal owl | Aegolius funereus | Probably Present | |
| Northern pintail | Anas acuta | ||
| American wigeon | Anas americana | ||
| Northern shoveler | Anas clypeata | ||
| Green-winged teal | Anas crecca | ||
| Blue-winged teal | Anas discors | ||
| Eurasian wigeon | Anas penelope | ||
| Mallard | Anas platyrhynchos | ||
| White-fronted goose | Anser albifrons | ||
| American pipit | Anthus rubescens | ||
| Surfbird | Aphriza virgata | ||
| Golden eagle | Aquila chrysaetos | ||
| Ruddy turnstone | Arenaria interpres | Probably Present | |
| Black turnstone | Arenaria melanocephala | ||
| Short-eared owl | Asio flammeus | ||
| Lesser scaup | Aythya affinis | ||
| Redhead | Aythya americana | ||
| Ringneck | Aythya collaris | ||
| Greater scaup | Aythya marila | ||
| Canvasback | Aythya valisineria | ||
| Bohemian wagwing | Bombycilla garrulus | ||
| Kittlitz's murrelet | Brachyramphus brevirostris | ||
| Marbled murrelet | Brachyramphus marmoratus | ||
| Brant | Branta bernicla | ||
| Canada goose | Branta canadensis | ||
| Great horned owl | Bubo virginianus | ||
| Bufflehead | Bucephala albeola | ||
| Barrow's goldeneye | Bucephala clangula | ||
| Common goldeneye | Bucephala islandica | ||
| Red-tailed hawk | Buteo jamaicensis | Probably Present | |
| Rough-legged hawk | Buteo lagopus | ||
| Lapland longspur | Calcarius lapponicus | ||
| Sanderling | Calidris alba | ||
| Dunlin | Calidris alpina | ||
| Baird's sandpiper | Calidris bairdii | ||
| Red knot | Calidris canutus | ||
| Western sandpiper | Calidris mauri | ||
| Pectoral sandpiper | Calidris melanotos | ||
| Least sandpiper | Calidris minutilla | ||
| Rock sandpiper | Calidris ptilocnemis | ||
| Semipalmated sandpiper | Calidris pusilla | ||
| Common redpoll | Carduelis flammea | ||
| Hoary redpoll | Carduelis hornemanni | ||
| Pine siskin | Carduelis pinus | ||
| Hermit thrush | Catharus guttatus | ||
| Gray-cheeked thrush | Catharus minimus | ||
| Swainson's thrush | Catharus ustulatus | ||
| Pigeon guillemot | Cepphus columba | ||
| Rhinoceros auklet | Cerorhinca monocerata | Probably Present | |
| Brown creeper | Certhia americana | ||
| Belted kingfisher | Ceryle alcyon | ||
| Semipalmated plover | Charadrius semipalmatus | ||
| Snow goose | Chen caerulescens | ||
| Emperor goose | Chen canagica | ||
| American dipper | Cinclus mexicanus | ||
| Northern harrier | Circus cyaneus | ||
| Long-tailed Duck | Clangula hyemalis | ||
| Northern Flicker | Colaptes auratus | ||
| Olive-sided Flycatcher | Contopus cooperi | ||
| Common raven | Corvus corax | ||
| Steller's jay | Cyanocitta stelleri | ||
| Trumpeter swan | Cygnus buccinator | ||
| Tundra swan | Cygnus columbianus | ||
| Yellow-rumped warbler | Dendroica coronata | ||
| Yellow warbler | Dendroica petechia | ||
| Blackpoll warbler | Dendroica striata | ||
| Alder flycatcher | Empidonax alnorum | ||
| Horned lark | Eremophila alpestris | ||
| Rusty blackbird | Euphagus carolinus | ||
| Spruce Grouse | Falcipennis canadensis | ||
| Merlin | Falco columbarius | ||
| Peregrin falcon | Falco peregrinus | ||
| Gyrfalcon | Falco rusticolus | ||
| American kestrel | Falco sparverius | ||
| Tufted puffin | Fratercula cirrhata | ||
| Horned puffin | Fratercula corniculata | ||
| American coot | Fulica americana | ||
| Wilson's snipe | Gallinago delicata | ||
| Common loon | Gavia immer | ||
| Pacific loon | Gavia pacifica | ||
| Red-throated loon | Gavia stellata | ||
| Sandhill crane | Grus canadensis | ||
| Black oystercatcher | Haematopus bachmani | ||
| Bald eagle | Haliaeetus leucocephalus | ||
| Harlequin duck | Histrionicus histrionicus | ||
| Varied thrush | Ixoreus naevius | ||
| Dark-eyed junco | Junco hyemalis | ||
| Willow ptarmigan | Lagopus lagopus | ||
| White-tailed Ptarmigan | Lagopus leucura | ||
| Rock Ptarmigan | Lagopus muta | ||
| Northern shrike | Lanius excubitor | ||
| Herring gull | Larus argentatus | ||
| Mew gull | Larus canus | ||
| Glaucous-winged gull | Larus glaucescens | ||
| Glaucous gull | Larus hyperboreus | Probably Present | |
| Bonaparte's gull | Larus philadelphia | ||
| Franklin's gull | Larus pipixcan | Probably Present | |
| Gray-crowned rosy-finch | Leucosticte tephrocotis | ||
| Short-billed dowitcher | Limnodromus griseus | ||
| Long-billed dowitcher | Limnodromus scolopaceus | ||
| Marbled Godwit | Limosa fedoa | Probably Present | |
| Hudsonian godwit | Limosa haemastica | ||
| Bar-tailed Godwit | Limosa lapponica | ||
| White-winged crossbill | Loxia leucoptera | ||
| White-winged scoter | Melanitta fusca | ||
| Black scoter | Melanitta nigra | ||
| Surf scoter | Melanitta perspicillata | ||
| Lincoln's sparrow | Melospiza lincolnii | ||
| Song sparrow | Melospiza melodia | ||
| Common merganser | Mergus merganser | ||
| Red-breasted merganser | Mergus serrator | ||
| Eastern Yellow Wagtail | Motacilla tschutschensis | ||
| Whimbrel | Numenius phaeopus | ||
| Northern wheatear | Oenanthe oenanthe | ||
| Osprey | Pandion haliaetus | ||
| Savannah sparrow | Passerculus sandwichensis | ||
| Fox sparrow | Passerella iliaca | ||
| Gray jay | Perisoreus canadensis | ||
| Cliff swallow | Petrochelidon pyrrhonota | ||
| Double-crested cormorant | Phalacrocorax auritus | ||
| Pelagic cormorant | Phalacrocorax pelagicus | ||
| Red-necked phalarope | Phalaropus lobatus | ||
| American magpie | Pica hudsonia | ||
| American Three-toed Woodpecker | Picoides dorsalis | ||
| Downy woodpecker | Picoides pubescens | ||
| Three-toed woodpecker | Picoides tridactylus | ||
| Hairy woodpecker | Picoides villosus | ||
| Pine grosbeak | Pinicola enucleator | ||
| Snow bunting | Plectrophenax nivalis | ||
| American golden-plover | Pluvialis dominica | ||
| Pacific golden-plover | Pluvialis fulva | ||
| Black-bellied plover | Pluvialis squatarola | ||
| Horned grebe | Podiceps auritus | ||
| Red-necked grebe | Podiceps grisegena | ||
| Black-capped Chickadee | Poecile atricapillus | ||
| Boreal chickadee | Poecile hudsonica | ||
| Ruby-crowned kinglet | Regulus calendula | ||
| Golden-crowned kinglet | Regulus satrapa | ||
| Bank swallow | Riparia riparia | ||
| Black-legged kittiwake | Rissa tridactyla | ||
| Say's phoebe | Sayornis saya | ||
| Northern waterthrush | Seiurus noveboracensis | ||
| Rufous hummingbird | Selasphorus rufus | ||
| Common eider | Somateria mollissima | ||
| King Eider | Somateria spectabilis | Probably Present | |
| American tree sparrow | Spizella arborea | ||
| Long-tailed jaeger | Stercorarius longicaudus | ||
| Parasitic jaeger | Stercorarius parasiticus | Probably Present | |
| Pomarine jaeger | Stercorarius pomarinus | ||
| Arctic tern | Sterna paradisaea | ||
| Great gray owl | Strix nebulosa | Probably Present | |
| Northern hawk-owl | Surnia ulula | ||
| Tree swallow | Tachycineta bicolor | ||
| Violet-green swallow | Tachycineta thalassina | ||
| Lesser yellowlegs | Tringa flavipes | ||
| Wandering Tattler | Tringa incana | ||
| Greater yellowlegs | Tringa melanoleuca | ||
| Solitary sandpiper | Tringa solitaria | ||
| American robin | Turdus migratorius | ||
| Common murre | Uria aalge | ||
| Orange-crowned warbler | Vermivora celata | ||
| Wilson's warbler | Wilsonia pusilla | ||
| Golden-crowned sparrow | Zonotrichia atricapilla | ||
| White-crowned sparrow | Zonotrichia leucophrys |
Amphibians
1 amphibians — show the list ↓
Amphibians
1 amphibians — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood frog | Rana sylvatica |
Fish
46 fish — show the list ↓
Fish
46 fish — show the list ↓
| Species | Scientific name | Status in park | Abundance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacific sand lance | Ammodytes hexapterus | |||
| Gray starsnout | Bathyagonus alascanus | Probably Present | ||
| Longnose sucker | Catostomus catostomus | Abundant | ||
| Pacific herring | Clupea harengus pallasii | Abundant | ||
| Humpback whitefish | Coregonus clupeaformis | Abundant | ||
| Least cisco | Coregonus sardinella | Abundant | ||
| Coastrange sculpin | Cottus aleuticus | Uncommon | ||
| Slimy sculpin | Cottus cognatus | Abundant | ||
| Northern pike | Esox lucius | Abundant | ||
| Pacific cod | Gadus macrocephalus | |||
| Threespine stickleback | Gasterosteus aculeatus | Common | ||
| Armorhead sculpin | Gymnocanthus galeatus | |||
| Masked greenling | Hexagrammos octogrammus | |||
| Surf smelt | Hypomesus pretiosus | |||
| Northern sculpin | Icelinus borealis | Probably Present | ||
| Butter sole | Isopsetta isolepis | |||
| Pacific lamprey | Lampetra tridentata | Probably Present | ||
| Daubed shanny | Leptoclinus maculatus | |||
| Staghorn sculpin | Leptocottus armatus | |||
| Arctic lamprey | Lethenteron japonicum | Rare | ||
| Yellowfin sole | Limanda aspera | |||
| Polka-dot snailfish | Liparis gibbus | |||
| Burbot | Lota lota | Common | ||
| Snake prickleback | Lumpenus sagitta | |||
| Pacific tomcod | Microgadus proximus | |||
| Humpy salmon | Oncorhynchus gorbuscha | Abundant | ||
| Chum salmon | Oncorhynchus keta | Abundant | ||
| Silver salmon | Oncorhynchus kisutch | Abundant | ||
| Rainbow trout | Oncorhynchus mykiss | Common | ||
| Red salmon | Oncorhynchus nerka | Abundant | ||
| Chinook salmon | Oncorhynchus tshawytscha | Abundant | ||
| Tubenose poacher | Pallasina barbata | |||
| Starry flounder | Platichthys stellatus | |||
| Sturgeon poacher | Podothecus accipenserinus | |||
| Pygmy whitefish | Prosopium coulterii | Uncommon | ||
| Round whitefish | Prosopium cylindraceum | Abundant | ||
| Ninespine stickleback | Pungitius pungitius | Abundant | ||
| Arrowtooth flounder | Reinhardtius stomias | |||
| Arctic char | Salvelinus alpinus | Common | ||
| Dolly varden | Salvelinus malma | Common | ||
| Lake trout | Salvelinus namaycush | Common | ||
| Longfin smelt | Spirinchus thaleichthys | |||
| Eulachon | Thaleichthys pacificus | Abundant | ||
| Alaska pollock | Theragra chalcogramma | |||
| Arctic grayling | Thymallus arcticus | Common | ||
| Pacific sandfish | Trichodon trichodon |
Where this comes from
NPSpecies is the National Park Service’s database of the species documented in each park. We show its vertebrate lists as published: a species is “present” when the park has confirmed it, “unconfirmed” when reports exist without verification, and “not in park” when the NPS has ruled it out (often tagged “historical” for animals that once lived there). Lists lag reality by months or years and seeing an animal is never guaranteed. Plants, insects and other invertebrates are not included here. Browse the full NPSpecies list for Lake Clark.
Sources · 2
- 1.NPSpecies — the National Park Service species database (IRMA), full and detail species lists — Lake Clark (LACL) · National Park Service (U.S. Department of the Interior)
- 2.Lake Clark National Park & Preserve — Nature & wildlife (nps.gov) · National Park Service
FAQ
Lake Clark wildlife questions
- Are there bears in Lake Clark?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Lake Clark records black bear as present, listed as common.
- Are there grizzly bears in Lake Clark?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Lake Clark records grizzly / brown bear as present, listed as common.
- Are there wolves in Lake Clark?
- Yes. The NPS species list for Lake Clark records gray wolf as present, listed as common.
- Are there mountain lions in Lake Clark?
- The NPS species list for Lake Clark does not include mountain lion, so there is no record of them in the park.
- Are there rattlesnakes in Lake Clark?
- The NPS species list for Lake Clark does not include rattlesnakes, so there is no record of them in the park.
- How many animal species live in Lake Clark?
- The NPS species database lists 36 mammal, 158 bird, 0 reptile, 1 amphibian and 43 fish species as present or probably present in Lake Clark, including 1 federally threatened or endangered species. Plants and invertebrates are not counted here.
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