Vancouver, Whistler & Vancouver Island - Washington, Oregon and the Pacific Northwest - page 881

Wild Things
The Pacific Northwest is home, sweet home to a wide range of spectacular
wildlife. The region's mix of ocean, forests, grasslands, deserts and moun-
tains creates a great diversity of habitats for both animals and plants, and
many of these environments are protected within national wildlife refuges
and parks. And while many animals can be relatively easily spotted from the
shoreline or a vehicle, like grey whales or Roosevelt elk, others are much
better at hiding in dense vegetation and rugged terrain. Be patient, and per-
haps with a bit of luck you may be able to spot a bald eagle, a pronghorn
antelope or even a killer whale. Just remember to bring your binoculars and
a sense of discovery, and start seeking them out!
Seasonal Guide to the Natural Year: A Month By Month Guide to Natural Events by
James Luther Davis presents a seasonal breakdown and reveals the premier places to
view wildlife in the Pacific Northwest.
Animals
Elk & Land Mammals
Among the Pacific Northwest's signature animals is the Roosevelt elk, whose eerie
bugling courtship calls can be heard each September and October in forested areas
throughout the region. Full-grown males generally reach up to 1100lb and carry 5ft racks
of antlers, so you won't soon forget catching sight of these creatures. During winter, large
groups gather in lowland valleys and can be observed at a number of well-known sites
such as Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area (about 65 miles northwest of Portland), Dean
Creek Elk Viewing Area (along the Oregon coast near Reedsport) and along the Spirit
Lake Memorial Hwy in Mt St Helens National Volcanic Monument. Also, Olympic Na-
tional Park is home to the world's largest unmanaged herd of Roosevelt elk.
The open plains of eastern Oregon and Washington are the playing grounds of prong-
horn antelope, curious-looking deerlike animals with two single black horns instead of
antlers. Pronghorns belong to a unique antelope family and are only found in the Americ-
an west, but they are more famous for being able to run up to 60mph for long stretches -
they're the second-fastest land animal in the world. Boasting keen eyesight and an acute
sense of smell, pronghorns keep their distance from humans, though they are sometimes