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Wildlife

What lives in Sequoia & Kings Canyon

Last verified NPS species database
Every animal below comes from the National Park Service’s own species list for Sequoia & Kings Canyon: 71 mammals, 212 birds, 21 reptiles, 12 amphibians and 11 fish recorded as present. Status words (present, unconfirmed, not in park) are the NPS’s, not ours.

Animals people ask about

Black bear

Ursus americanus · Common

Present

Coyote

Canis latrans · Uncommon

Present

Mountain lion

Puma concolor · Uncommon

Present

Bobcat

Lynx rufus · Uncommon

Present

Bighorn sheep

Ovis canadensis · Rare

Present

Rattlesnakes

Crotalus oreganus · Common · any rattlesnake species

Present

Bald eagle

Haliaeetus leucocephalus · Rare

Present

Golden eagle

Aquila chrysaetos · Uncommon

Present

Wolverine

Gulo gulo · Historical

Unconfirmed

Grizzly / brown bear

Ursus arctos · Historical

Not in park

Gray wolf

Canis lupus · False Report

Not in park

California condor

Gymnogyps californianus · Historical

Not in park

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
74
89 listed · 4 non-native
Birds
212
220 listed · 31 non-native
Reptiles
22
24 listed
Amphibians
12
13 listed · 1 non-native
Fish
11
19 listed · 6 non-native

Endangered Species Act

2 threatened or endangered species

Federal listing status as recorded in the NPS species database.
SpeciesScientific nameStatus in parkAbundanceNotes
FisherMartes pennantiPresentRareEndangered
Sierra Nevada mountain yellow-legged frogRana sierraePresentUncommonEndangered

Mammals

All 74 mammals recorded in Sequoia & Kings Canyon

Most abundant first, as the NPS rates them.
SpeciesScientific nameStatus in parkAbundanceNotes
Big Brown BatEptesicus fuscusPresentAbundant—
Brazilian Free-tailed BatTadarida brasiliensisPresentAbundant—
Coronation Island voleMicrotus longicaudusPresentAbundant—
Alpine ChipmunkTamias alpinusPresentCommon—
American Black BearUrsus americanusPresentCommon—
American PikaOchotona princepsPresentCommon—
Big-earde woodratNeotoma macrotis simplexPresentCommon—
Botta's Pocket GopherThomomys bottaePresentCommon—
Brush DeermousePeromyscus boyliiPresentCommon—
California Ground SquirrelSpermophilus beecheyiPresentCommon—
California myotisMyotis californicusPresentCommon—
Deer MousePeromyscus maniculatusPresentCommon—
Show the other 62 mammals ↓
SpeciesScientific nameStatus in parkAbundanceNotes
Douglas's SquirrelTamiasciurus douglasiiPresentCommon—
Golden-mantled Ground SquirrelSpermophilus lateralisPresentCommon—
Hoary BatLasiurus cinereusPresentCommon—
Lodgepole ChipmunkTamias speciosusPresentCommon—
Mountain Pocket GopherThomomys monticolaPresentCommon—
Mule DeerOdocoileus hemionusPresentCommon—
Yellow-bellied MarmotMarmota flaviventrisPresentCommon—
Yuma MyotisMyotis yumanensisPresentCommon—
Alleghanian Spotted SkunkSpilogale putoriusPresentUncommon—
Amargosa VoleMicrotus californicusPresentUncommon—
American BeaverCastor canadensisPresentUncommonNon-native
American MartenMartes americanaPresentUncommon—
American Water ShrewSorex palustrisPresentUncommon—
Belding's Ground SquirrelSpermophilus beldingiPresentUncommon—
BobcatLynx rufusPresentUncommon—
Broad-footed MoleScapanus latimanusPresentUncommon—
Brush RabbitSylvilagus bachmaniPresentUncommon—
Bushy-tailed WoodratNeotoma cinereaPresentUncommon—
California DeermousePeromyscus californicusPresentUncommon—
California Pocket MouseChaetodipus californicusPresentUncommon—
CatamountPuma concolorPresentUncommon—
Common Gray FoxUrocyon cinereoargenteusPresentUncommon—
Common raccoonProcyon lotorPresentUncommon—
CoyoteCanis latransPresentUncommon—
Dusky ShrewSorex monticolusPresentUncommon—
ErmineMustela ermineaPresentUncommon—
Fringed MyotisMyotis thysanodesPresentUncommon—
Little brown myotisMyotis lucifugusPresentUncommon—
Long-eared MyotisMyotis evotisPresentUncommon—
Long-legged MyotisMyotis volansPresentUncommon—
Long-tailed WeaselMustela frenataPresentUncommon—
Montane VoleMicrotus montanusPresentUncommon—
Mountain BeaverAplodontia rufaPresentUncommon—
Northern Flying SquirrelGlaucomys sabrinusPresentUncommon—
Ornate ShrewSorex ornatusPresentUncommon—
Pallid BatAntrozous pallidusPresentUncommon—
Pinto BatEuderma maculatumPresentUncommon—
Pinyon mousePeromyscus trueiPresentUncommon—
Red BatLasiurus blossevilliiPresentUncommon—
RingtailBassariscus astutusPresentUncommon—
Trowbridge's ShrewSorex trowbridgiiPresentUncommon—
Western Gray SquirrelSciurus griseusPresentUncommon—
Western Jumping MouseZapus princepsPresentUncommon—
Western mastiff batEumops perotisPresentUncommon—
Western PipistrellePipistrellus hesperusPresentUncommon—
White-tailed hareLepus townsendiiPresentUncommon—
American BadgerTaxidea taxusPresentRare—
Bighorn SheepOvis canadensisPresentRare—
Black BatLasionycteris noctivagansPresentRare—
Common porcupineErethizon dorsatumPresentRare—
Domestic cowBos taurusPresentRareNon-native
Domestic pigSus scrofaPresentRareNon-native
FisherMartes pennantiPresentRareEndangered
Merriam's ChipmunkTamias merriamiPresentRare—
Striped SkunkMephitis mephitisPresentRare—
Townsend's big-eared batPlecotus townsendiiPresentRare—
Virginia OpossumDidelphis virginianaPresentRareNon-native
Western Harvest MouseReithrodontomys megalotisPresentRare—
Western small-footed myotisMyotis ciliolabrumPresentRare—
Cross FoxVulpes vulpesProbably Present——
Domestic catFelis silvestrisProbably Present—Non-native
Heather VolePhenacomys intermediusProbably Present——

Birds

212 birds — show the list ↓

SpeciesScientific nameStatus in parkNotes
Cooper's HawkAccipiter cooperiiPresent—
Northern GoshawkAccipiter gentilisPresent—
Sharp-shinned HawkAccipiter striatusPresent—
Spotted SandpiperActitis maculariaPresent—
Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicusPresent—
White-throated SwiftAeronautes saxatalisPresent—
Red-winged BlackbirdAgelaius phoeniceusPresent—
Rufous-crowned SparrowAimophila ruficepsPresent—
Wood DuckAix sponsaPresent—
ChukarAlectoris chukarPresentNon-native
Sage SparrowAmphispiza belliPresent—
Black-throated SparrowAmphispiza bilineataPresentNon-native
Northern PintailAnas acutaPresentNon-native
Common TealAnas creccaPresent—
MallardAnas platyrhynchosPresent—
GadwallAnas streperaPresentNon-native
American pipitAnthus rubescensPresent—
Western scrub-jayAphelocoma californicaPresent—
Golden EagleAquila chrysaetosPresent—
Black-chinned HummingbirdArchilochus alexandriPresent—
Great Blue HeronArdea herodiasPresent—
Short-eared OwlAsio flammeusPresent—
Long-eared OwlAsio otusPresent—
Lesser ScaupAythya affinisPresentNon-native
Oak titmouseBaeolophus inornatusPresent—
Cedar WaxwingBombycilla cedrorumPresent—
Bohemian WaxwingBombycilla garrulusPresent—
Canada GooseBranta canadensisPresent—
Great Horned OwlBubo virginianusPresent—
BuffleheadBucephala albeolaPresentNon-native
Red-tailed HawkButeo jamaicensisPresent—
RoughlegButeo lagopusPresent—
Red-shouldered HawkButeo lineatusPresent—
Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterusPresent—
Swainson's HawkButeo swainsoniPresent—
California QuailCallipepla californicaPresent—
Anna's HummingbirdCalypte annaPresent—
Lawrence's GoldfinchCarduelis lawrenceiPresent—
Pine SiskinCarduelis pinusPresent—
Lesser GoldfinchCarduelis psaltriaPresent—
American GoldfinchCarduelis tristisPresent—
Cassin's FinchCarpodacus cassiniiPresent—
House FinchCarpodacus mexicanusPresent—
Purple FinchCarpodacus purpureusPresent—
Turkey VultureCathartes auraPresent—
Hermit ThrushCatharus guttatusPresent—
Swainson's ThrushCatharus ustulatusPresent—
Canyon WrenCatherpes mexicanusPresent—
Brown creeperCerthia americanaPresent—
Vaux's SwiftChaetura vauxiPresent—
WrentitChamaea fasciataPresent—
KilldeerCharadrius vociferusPresent—
Lark SparrowChondestes grammacusPresent—
Common NighthawkChordeiles minorPresent—
American DipperCinclus mexicanusPresent—
Hen HarrierCircus cyaneusPresent—
Evening GrosbeakCoccothraustes vespertinusPresent—
Northern FlickerColaptes auratusPresent—
Common PigeonColumba liviaPresentNon-native
Olive-sided flycatcherContopus cooperiPresent—
Western Wood PeweeContopus sordidulusPresent—
American CrowCorvus brachyrhynchosPresent—
Northern RavenCorvus coraxPresent—
Steller's JayCyanocitta stelleriPresent—
Black swanCygnus atratusPresentNon-native
Tundra SwanCygnus columbianusPresentNon-native
American Black SwiftCypseloides nigerPresent—
Blue GrouseDendragapus obscurusPresent—
Dendroica coronataDendroica coronataPresent—
Dendroica nigrescensDendroica nigrescensPresent—
Dendroica occidentalisDendroica occidentalisPresent—
Dendroica pensylvanicaDendroica pensylvanicaPresent—
Dendroica petechiaDendroica petechiaPresent—
Dendroica townsendiDendroica townsendiPresent—
Pileated WoodpeckerDryocopus pileatusPresent—
Gray CatbirdDumetella carolinensisPresentNon-native
White-tailed kiteElanus leucurusPresent—
Pacific slope flycatcherEmpidonax difficilisPresent—
Hammond's FlycatcherEmpidonax hammondiiPresent—
American Dusky FlycatcherEmpidonax oberholseriPresent—
Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax trailliiPresent—
American Grey FlycatcherEmpidonax wrightiiPresentNon-native
Horned LarkEremophila alpestrisPresent—
Brewer's BlackbirdEuphagus cyanocephalusPresent—
MerlinFalco columbariusPresent—
Prairie FalconFalco mexicanusPresent—
Peregrine FalconFalco peregrinusPresent—
GyrfalconFalco rusticolusPresent—
American KestrelFalco sparveriusPresent—
American CootFulica americanaPresent—
Common SnipeGallinago gallinagoPresent—
Common LoonGavia immerPresentNon-native
Greater RoadrunnerGeococcyx californianusPresent—
Common YellowthroatGeothlypis trichasPresent—
Mountain Pygmy OwlGlaucidium gnomaPresent—
Blue GrosbeakGuiraca caeruleaPresent—
Pinyon JayGymnorhinus cyanocephalusPresent—
Bald EagleHaliaeetus leucocephalusPresent—
Barn SwallowHirundo rusticaPresent—
Harlequin DuckHistrionicus histrionicusPresent—
Bullock's orioleIcterus bullockiiPresent—
Hooded OrioleIcterus cucullatusPresent—
Varied ThrushIxoreus naeviusPresent—
Dark-eyed JuncoJunco hyemalisPresent—
White-tailed PtarmiganLagopus leucuraPresentNon-native
Great Grey ShrikeLanius excubitorPresentNon-native
Loggerhead ShrikeLanius ludovicianusPresent—
California GullLarus californicusPresent—
Gray-crowned rosy finchLeucosticte tephrocotisPresent—
Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostraPresent—
Belted KingfisherMegaceryle alcyonPresent—
Tecolote occidentalMegascops kennicottiiPresent—
Acorn WoodpeckerMelanerpes formicivorusPresent—
Lewis' WoodpeckerMelanerpes lewisPresent—
Surf ScoterMelanitta perspicillataPresentNon-native
Wild TurkeyMeleagris gallopavoPresentNon-native
Lincoln's SparrowMelospiza lincolniiPresent—
Song SparrowMelospiza melodiaPresent—
Common MerganserMergus merganserPresent—
Northern MockingbirdMimus polyglottosPresent—
Brown-headed CowbirdMolothrus aterPresentNon-native
Townsend's SolitaireMyadestes townsendiPresent—
Ash-throated FlycatcherMyiarchus cinerascensPresent—
Clark's NutcrackerNucifraga columbianaPresent—
Black Storm PetrelOceanodroma melaniaPresentNon-native
Oporornis tolmieiOporornis tolmieiPresent—
Mountain QuailOreortyx pictusPresent—
Flammulated OwlOtus flammeolusPresent—
Ruddy DuckOxyura jamaicensisPresent—
OspreyPandion haliaetusPresent—
House SparrowPasser domesticusPresentNon-native
Savannah SparrowPasserculus sandwichensisPresent—
Fox SparrowPasserella iliacaPresent—
Lazuli BuntingPasserina amoenaPresent—
Band-tailed PigeonPatagioenas fasciataPresent—
Common PeafowlPavo cristatusPresentNon-native
American White PelicanPelecanus erythrorhynchosPresent—
Cliff swallowPetrochelidon pyrrhonotaPresent—
PhainopeplaPhainopepla nitensPresent—
Double-crested CormorantPhalacrocorax auritusPresentNon-native
Common PoorwillPhalaenoptilus nuttalliiPresent—
Red-necked PhalaropePhalaropus lobatusPresentNon-native
Rose-breasted GrosbeakPheucticus ludovicianusPresentNon-native
Black-headed GrosbeakPheucticus melanocephalusPresent—
White-headed WoodpeckerPicoides albolarvatusPresent—
Black-backed WoodpeckerPicoides arcticusPresent—
Nuttall's WoodpeckerPicoides nuttalliiPresent—
Downy WoodpeckerPicoides pubescensPresent—
Ladder-backed WoodpeckerPicoides scalarisPresentNon-native
Hairy WoodpeckerPicoides villosusPresent—
Pine GrosbeakPinicola enucleatorPresent—
Green-tailed TowheePipilo chlorurusPresent—
California towheePipilo crissalisPresent—
Spotted towheePipilo maculatusPresent—
Western TanagerPiranga ludovicianaPresent—
Summer TanagerPiranga rubraPresent—
Horned GrebePodiceps auritusPresentNon-native
Black-necked GrebePodiceps nigricollisPresent—
Pied-billed grebePodilymbus podicepsPresent—
Mountain chickadeePoecile gambeliPresent—
Blue-gray GnatcatcherPolioptila caeruleaPresent—
Vesper SparrowPooecetes gramineusPresentNon-native
Purple MartinProgne subisPresent—
American BushtitPsaltriparus minimusPresent—
Great-tailed GrackleQuiscalus mexicanusPresentNon-native
American AvocetRecurvirostra americanaPresentNon-native
Ruby-crowned KingletRegulus calendulaPresent—
Golden-crowned KingletRegulus satrapaPresent—
Rock WrenSalpinctes obsoletusPresent—
Black PhoebeSayornis nigricansPresent—
Say's PhoebeSayornis sayaPresent—
Rufous HummingbirdSelasphorus rufusPresent—
Allen's HummingbirdSelasphorus sasinPresent—
Mountain BluebirdSialia currucoidesPresent—
Western BluebirdSialia mexicanaPresent—
Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensisPresent—
White-breasted NuthatchSitta carolinensisPresent—
Pygmy NuthatchSitta pygmaeaPresent—
Red-naped SapsuckerSphyrapicus nuchalisPresent—
Red-breasted SapsuckerSphyrapicus ruberPresent—
Williamson's SapsuckerSphyrapicus thyroideusPresent—
Black-chinned SparrowSpizella atrogularisPresent—
Brewer's SparrowSpizella breweriPresent—
Chipping SparrowSpizella passerinaPresent—
Northern Rough-winged SwallowStelgidopteryx serripennisPresent—
Calliope HummingbirdStellula calliopePresent—
Caspian TernSterna caspiaPresent—
Great Gray OwlStrix nebulosaPresent—
Spotted owlStrix occidentalisPresent—
Barred OwlStrix variaPresentNon-native
Western MeadowlarkSturnella neglectaPresent—
Common StarlingSturnus vulgarisPresentNon-native
Tree SwallowTachycineta bicolorPresent—
Violet-green SwallowTachycineta thalassinaPresent—
Bewick's WrenThryomanes bewickiiPresent—
California ThrasherToxostoma redivivumPresent—
House WrenTroglodytes aedonPresent—
Winter WrenTroglodytes troglodytesPresent—
American RobinTurdus migratoriusPresent—
Eastern KingbirdTyrannus tyrannusPresentNon-native
Western KingbirdTyrannus verticalisPresent—
Barn OwlTyto albaPresent—
Vermivora celataVermivora celataPresent—
Vermivora luciaeVermivora luciaePresent—
Vermivora ruficapillaVermivora ruficapillaPresent—
Cassin's vireoVireo cassiniiPresent—
Warbling VireoVireo gilvusPresent—
Hutton's VireoVireo huttoniPresent—
Wilsonia pusillaWilsonia pusillaPresent—
Mourning DoveZenaida macrouraPresent—
Golden-crowned SparrowZonotrichia atricapillaPresent—
White-crowned SparrowZonotrichia leucophrysPresent—

Reptiles

22 reptiles — show the list ↓

SpeciesScientific nameStatus in parkAbundanceNotes
Northern Pacific Pond TurtleActinemys marmorataPresentUncommon—
Northern Rubber BoaCharina bottaePresentCommon—
Western WhiptailCnemidophorus tigrisPresentCommon—
Eastern RacerColuber constrictorPresentRare—
Common Sharp-tailed SnakeContia tenuisPresentUncommon—
Northern Pacific RattlesnakeCrotalus oreganusPresentCommon—
Ringneck SnakeDiadophis punctatusPresentUncommon—
Northern Alligator LizardElgaria coeruleaPresentCommon—
Southern Alligator LizardElgaria multicarinataPresentCommon—
Gilbert's SkinkEumeces gilbertiPresentCommon—
Western SkinkEumeces skiltonianusProbably Present——
Night SnakeHypsiglena torquataPresentRare—
Common KingsnakeLampropeltis getulaPresentCommon—
California Mountain KingsnakeLampropeltis zonataPresentUncommon—
Striped RacerMasticophis lateralisPresentCommon—
BullsnakePituophis cateniferPresentCommon—
Longnose SnakeRhinocheilus leconteiPresentRare—
Sagebrush LizardSceloporus graciosusPresentUncommon—
Western Fence LizardSceloporus occidentalisPresentAbundant—
Smith's Black-headed SnakeTantilla hobartsmithiPresentRare—
Western aquatic garter snakeThamnophis couchiiPresentCommon—
Terrestrial Garter SnakeThamnophis elegansPresentCommon—

Amphibians

12 amphibians — show the list ↓

SpeciesScientific nameStatus in parkAbundanceNotes
Gregarious Slender SalamanderBatrachoseps gregariusPresentUncommon—
Sequoia Slender SalamanderBatrachoseps kawiaPresentUncommon—
Kings River Slender SalamanderBatrachoseps regiusPresentUncommon—
Western ToadBufo boreasPresentRare—
Yosemite ToadBufo canorusPresentRare—
EnsatinaEnsatina eschscholtziiPresentCommon—
Mount Lyell SalamanderHydromantes platycephalusPresentUncommon—
Northern Pacific TreefrogPseudacris regillaPresentAbundant—
American BullfrogRana catesbeianaPresentUncommonNon-native
Mountain Yellow-legged FrogRana muscosaPresentUncommon—
Sierra Nevada mountain yellow-legged frogRana sierraePresentUncommonEndangered
California NewtTaricha torosaPresentCommon—

Fish

11 fish — show the list ↓

SpeciesScientific nameStatus in parkAbundanceNotes
Black BullheadAmeiurus melasPresent—Non-native
Sacramento SuckerCatostomus occidentalisPresentUncommon—
California RoachHesperoleucus symmetricusPresentRare—
Green SunfishLepomis cyanellusPresentRareNon-native
Golden ShinerNotemigonus crysoleucasPresentRareNon-native
Rainbow troutOncorhynchus mykissPresentAbundant—
California golden troutOncorhynchus mykiss aguabonitaPresentCommonNon-native
Kern River rainbow troutOncorhynchus mykiss gilbertiPresentUncommon—
Little Kern golden troutOncorhynchus mykiss whiteiPresentUncommon—
Brown troutSalmo truttaPresentUncommonNon-native
Brook trout charr salterSalvelinus fontinalisPresentCommonNon-native

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 Sequoia & Kings Canyon.

FAQ

Sequoia & Kings Canyon wildlife questions

Are there bears in Sequoia & Kings Canyon?
Yes. The NPS species list for Sequoia & Kings Canyon records black bear as present, listed as common.
Are there grizzly bears in Sequoia & Kings Canyon?
No. The NPS species list marks grizzly / brown bear as "not in park" for Sequoia & Kings Canyon (NPS tag: Historical).
Are there wolves in Sequoia & Kings Canyon?
No. The NPS species list marks gray wolf as "not in park" for Sequoia & Kings Canyon (NPS tag: False Report).
Are there mountain lions in Sequoia & Kings Canyon?
Yes. The NPS species list for Sequoia & Kings Canyon records mountain lion as present, listed as uncommon.
Are there rattlesnakes in Sequoia & Kings Canyon?
Yes. The NPS species list for Sequoia & Kings Canyon records rattlesnakes as present, listed as common.
How many animal species live in Sequoia & Kings Canyon?
The NPS species database lists 71 mammal, 212 bird, 21 reptile, 12 amphibian and 11 fish species as present or probably present in Sequoia & Kings Canyon, including 2 federally threatened or endangered species. Plants and invertebrates are not counted here.

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