At the heart of Alaska’s Denali National Park sits Mount Denali (6,190m), North America’s highest mountain. Formerly known as Mount McKinley, the mountain was named after the newly elected US president, William McKinley, in 1897, but has since been returned to its native Athabaskan name, Denali, which translates as 'the high one'.
The park itself encompasses over six million acres – an area larger than the US state of New Hampshire, and bigger than the country of Wales. The region gained official national park status in 1917, with one single road ribboning its way through the landscape, rising and falling through mountain passes.
The landscape is diverse, with forests and glaciers at various elevations. Inhabiting the area are a range of fauna, including 37 species of mammal, 155 species of bird and one amphibian. Although these numbers are high, it’s perhaps not as diverse a range of wildlife as you might expect for an area of land as large as this.
For the most part, each species is associated with a specific vegetation zone in the park, where they are adapted to the local topography. The harsh cold of the Alaskan climate means the wildlife there has to survive sub-zero temperatures and scarce resources, with remarkable adaptations across the species.
Among the wildlife found in the park are the red fox, coyote, lynx, wolverine, porcupine, black bear, beaver, snowshoe hare and a number of other smaller species, including voles and shrews.
The best time to spot wildlife in Denali National Park is during the summer months, when there is the most activity. Animals may be out feeding, raising young and preparing for the hibernation or migration required in winter months. As is so often the case with wildlife spotting, early morning and late evening are prime times for activity, as animals tend to be more active during the cooler parts of the day when there are fewer people around.
Always remember to keep your distance, give wildlife plenty of space, be patient and quiet, bring suitable equipment and binoculars, and remember to bring appropriate clothing – Alaskan air is famously cool.
Wildlife in the Denali National Park and Preserve
Reindeer
Generally found in tundra regions, feeding on a variety of grasses and willows, reindeer – or caribou, as they’re known in North America – are migratory, moving southward through the park in the spring before dispersing across the region for the summer and returning north-east for the winter. Caribou are one of the park’s 'Big Five', along with grizzly bears, moose, Dall sheep and wolves.
Grizzly bear
Found around the glacial river bars and across all the habitats of Denali National Park, grizzly bears are generally solitary animals and one of Alaska’s most powerful creatures. Grizzlies are the North American counterpart of the Eurasian brown bear, and there are around 300-350 grizzlies known to live in the northern reaches of the park. They’re most active in the warmer months, as they fatten up for their winter hibernation.
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Moose
Moose prefer spruce forests for their habitat, commonly found in the park’s lower elevations. They feed on large quantities of willows and smaller plants, and live alone or in small groups for most of the year – apart from in autumn, when the rutting season begins. These large creatures are well adapted for life in the deep snow, with coarse, thick fur creating dense insulation.
The Alaskan moose is the largest member of the deer family, and those in Denali are particularly large, reaching heights of up to 6 feet at the shoulder.
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Dall sheep
Along with golden eagles, Dall sheep are found in the mountainous edges of the park. A close relative of the Rocky Mountain bighorn, the Dall sheep is white with horns – the males have heavy, spiralled horns and the females have short, spiked horns.
Feeding on grasses, shrubs and small alpine plants, Dall sheep spend most of their time on steep, rocky faces, where they are safe from predators. They might not be fast runners, but Dall sheep are nifty climbers, and can evade wolves and bears on this challenging terrain.
Dall sheep have played an important role in the history of Denali, as concern for their conservation was one of the key reasons the park was originally established in 1917.
Wolf
Denali parklands are home to the interior Alaskan wolf, a sub-species of the grey wolf (the biggest species of wolf). They travel alone or in pairs during summer, but form larger packs during the winter months. These elusive creatures cover large expanses of land away from human activity, making them difficult to spot, but you might be able to hear their howls at dawn and dusk.
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Birds
Most of the birds in Denali National Park are migratory, travelling through at certain times of year. Many of those species which remain in the park during winter have special adaptations to the cold climates of Alaska, including all three species of ptarmigan (willow, rock and white-tailed).
During the summer season, the frozen areas of the park thaw and create new lakes and ponds, which become nesting areas for waterfowl, wading birds and cranes.
Fish
Although there are many bodies of water in Denali National Park, there are relatively few types of fish as most of the park’s rivers are glacial and silty. However, grayling, lake trout and northern pike are found in some of the lakes, with some species of salmon in streams.
Top image: Spacewalk/Getty Images
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