Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Animals and Holes in the Ground
Mammoth is the year-round home of a herd of
elk
(also called by its Shawnee name
wapiti,
meaning white rump). These elk are not tame, so keep a safe distance away—the Park Service
says 25 yards (23 m).
In early summer, you'll see mostly cows and calves grazing and resting in the shade.
Sometimes they'll be on the terraces themselves, since there are fewer bugs there, and the
white travertine reflects the heat away. In the autumn rutting season, the bull elk round up
their harems and bugle to assert dominance. The males with small single-pronged antlers are
yearlings.
Watch your step if you're walking on the grass! Deep burrows dug by
Uinta ground squir-
rels
are everywhere. This rodent, which children love to watch, appears to be a cross between
a red squirrel and a yellow-bellied marmot, both of which live elsewhere in the park. These
squirrels stay underground for up to seven months of the year.
Elk at Mammoth Hot Springs like to lie on the terraces even on hot summer days.
Another animal you may see at the outskirts of Mammoth is the
coyote.
Coyotes are smal-
ler and slimmer than wolves and much less shy. In fact, there have been some incidents of
