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Pheasant
Did You Know? Pheasants take short bursts of fast flight.
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Cougar
Did You Know? Cougars can leap over 20 feet in one jump.
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Black Bear
Did You Know? Black bears are excellent tree climbers.
The Rocky Mountains Region includes this major mountain range in Western North America, running from far North Canadian British Columbia to Southwestern New Mexico, with elevations ranging from approximately 1,800 feet in the Great Plains to peaks of over 14,000 feet. Climate and rainfall vary greatly here, with a diverse mixture of habitats—the alpine, subalpine and boreal environments of the Northern Rocky Mountains in British Columbia and Alberta, the coniferous forests of Montana and Idaho, the wetlands, prairies and conifer mix of the Yellowstone Plateau in Wyoming, the montane forests of Utah, the high Rockies of Colorado and New Mexico, and the alpine tundra in the highest elevations.
The region is home to a great deal of wildlife, including bighorn sheep, black bears, bobcats, Canada lynx, cougars, coyotes, elk, foxes, grey wolves, grizzly bears, moose, mountain goats, mule deer, and wolverines, along with numerous amphibians, birds, fish, and reptiles.
Fun Fact:
Moose are excellent swimmers! They can swim up to 6 miles per hour and stay afloat for hours—even diving up to 20 feet deep to reach aquatic plants at the bottom of lakes and rivers.
Human settlement in the Rockies has caused a decline in numerous wildlife populations, including trout, birds, and sheep. Conservation efforts have helped population numbers of grey wolves and grizzly bears that were almost eliminated from the United States portion of the mountain range. Bald eagles are also recovering after years of hunting, habitat destruction, and pesticide-related deaths. The North American Rockies region has over 140 species of butterflies that flutter around its high elevations. Keep your eye out for brown bears, grizzlies, wolves, moose, and elk.
Discover Canada, Alaska & The Rockies Native Species
