Is that a dog? A wolf? Nope, that’s a coyote. Coyotes are on the loose in Jasper National Park and are one of the many types of wildlife that visitors may see - with a little luck.

The coyote (Canis latrans) is half the size of a wolf and usually smaller than large domestic dogs like Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds. Even with the coyote’s smaller size, you’re much more likely to see a coyote than a wolf. Why?

Unlike the gray wolves of Jasper National Park, coyotes can lose their natural fear of humans. This lack of fear by the coyote makes human encounters more common. Coyote behavior is unpredictable and they can pose a threat to humans. There have been cases where coyotes have tragically attacked isolated children in Jasper.

Parks Canada provides the following advice about how to handle a coyote attack:

“If you are approached by a cougar, wolf or coyote, send a clear message that you are NOT potential prey.

• Pick up small children immediately.
• Yell.
• Do anything you can to make yourself look bigger.
• Be prepared to use pepper spray if you have it.
• Fight back aggressively if attacked.
• DO NOT crouch, play dead, run, or turn your back to the animal.”

A coyote habituated to humans will typically be relocated to remote parts of the park or surrounding forest parks. In certain circumstances, the coyote must be killed.

What do coyotes eat?

Coyotes usually hunt for small animals like rabbits. If hunting in groups, coyotes have been known to take down livestock. Coyotes throughout North America have a varied diet, eating whatever food they can find in their environment, even insects and plants.

Coyotes also pose a threat to pets. To a coyote or pack of coyotes, your pet may look like a meal - even if your dog is extra-large. Parks Canada urges pet owners to keep pets on a leash and in sight while in the park.

Where to see coyotes in Jasper National Park?

You may spot a coyote wandering along the side of the roadway looking for roadkill. They’ve been known to wander through Jasper townsite and the many Jasper campgrounds while scavenging for food.

The best time to try to spot a coyote is at dusk or dawn, a common time of activity for many Jasper Park animals. You can try to look for them in fields, but actually seeing a coyote takes some luck. The best bet is to always be on the lookout for coyotes near or on the roadway while you are driving throughout Jasper.

Always stay at a safe distance - far enough away that the animal does not know you are there.

“There’s a wolf in town! There’s a wolf in town!”

Coyotes are easy to confuse with wolves. More often than not, the animal seen in close proximity to humans will be the coyote. Learn more about the coyote’s cousin, the good gray wolf of Jasper National Park.

See more pictures of coyotes and other Jasper wildlife here.

There is nothing better than taking a trip to Jasper National Park with kids. Children will love the exciting and interesting natural sights. There is plenty to see and do so kids won’t get bored. And you’ll be able to find many things that are age appropriate to do with kids to teach them about nature.

Start by visiting the Jasper Information Centre. Here you’ll find a bunch of information, maps and hiking trail guides. You can also find out the weather conditions and take note of any trail advisories. The centre itself is a national landmark. Short hikes are great for smaller children. Be sure to bring plenty of water and don’t expect smaller children to be able to hike longer than a half hour. The many smaller hikes - like Discovery Trail - are perfect for families. Try the Lake Annette Loop for another fun and short hike. Take the kids to see the Yellowhead Museum to learn about Jasper history or see the many wildlife displays at the Wildlife Den in Whistler’s Inn.

Break up the days by providing many different activities for the family. Take in the shops and restaurants in town. The town itself has a beautiful mountain backdrop. Take the kids for an old-fashioned ice cream cone treat or get a box of fudge. Bring a blanket and take a short rest on the lawn. You can tour the town on foot or try the latest green transportation – the Jasper Pedi-Cab.

You can also opt for some scenic drives to see nature. The scenic Columbia Icefield shouldn’t be missed. You can go out onto the glacier in an ice buggy, a view they won’t soon forget. Older kids will enjoy a river float trip, which is a fun way to spend the day. Visit Maligne Canyon. Here you’ll find six bridges you can walk over to view the limestone gorges and waterfalls. The Jasper Tramway is a great way to see an aerial view of Jasper along with the entire Athabasca Valley.

When planning your vacation with kids you’ll want to find a hotel that has the perfect family accommodations. Look for hotels that have kid-friendly pools. There are also resorts with suite accommodations that are great for families. These offer separate bedrooms and kitchenettes so you can feed the small ones their usual snacks. One of the best ways to find the best accommodations is to visit HotelsCombined.com. This site takes the best of all the travel sites and puts it together to give you the best hotels at the best rates.

Adults and children alike will enjoy seeing nature at its finest at Jasper National Park. Located in the Canadian Rocky Mountains the park is the largest one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The park consists of many protected ecosystems with abundant wildlife. Naturalists and animal lovers will enjoy the spectacular scenery in which you can view animals in their natural environment.

Jasper National Park has been a wildlife refuge since it was first made into a park in the early 1900’s. Since then extreme care has been taken to ensure that the park keeps its wildlife intact. There are more than 1300 plant species in the park. There are an amazing 20,000 different types of insects and spiders, 40 types of fish, 16 amphibian species and 277 types of birds. There are also 68 species of mammals that call the park home. Some of the mammals that live here include elk, caribou, deer, sheep, goats, coyotes, bear, wolves, lynx, porcupines, beavers, cougars, hares and wolverines. The park continues to try to preserve the natural ecosystems that support the many types of wildlife.

You’re most likely to see some of the small mammals that live here. There are 29 small mammal species. The smallest is the pygmy shrew, which is just several grams in weight. The largest are the beaver that can weigh upwards of 20 kilograms. Other small mammals that you may see include the squirrel, marmot, pika, rabbits and bats.

Larger animals that you are likely to see include animals in the deer family. Deer loose their antlers annually. You’re bound to see deer, moose, elk, wapiti (elk) and caribou. You’ll also see sheep and goats. Their horns continue to grow each year helping to estimate the age of the animals. Other animals include coyote, wolves, cougar and bears. There are both black bear and grizzly bear in the park.

It is important to maintain the parks ecosystem in order to help keep the wildlife intact. Follow the rules and regulations. Do not feed the animals and do not attempt to pet them. Remember that they are wild animals and they are unpredictable. When hiking on the trails it is best to make some noise. This will scare off any larger animals, particularly bears. Most wild animals will not attack humans unless they are startled or are protecting their young. Observe all the cautions that are explained when you visit the park.

Parks Canada has recently started publishing a weekly bear activity report online. This is a nice way to get a sense about where the bears are.

The latest report is for June 04, 2008 to June 10, 2008 reveals that most of the reported sightings for black bears have been on Highway 93 - then again, Highway 93 has a lot more traffic than the side roads. There were only a handful of grizzly sightings.

The report breaks down sightings into 4 categories:

• Single Black Bears
• Black Bear Females with Cubs
• Single Grizzly Bears
• Grizzly Bear Females with Cubs

If pairs of mating bears are together, the report indicated this as well.

View the weekly report.

If you see a bear while in the park, you can help improve the list by reporting your sighting to the Jasper Park Warden’s Office at (780) 852-6155.

For your safety and for the safety of others, Parcs Canada makes the following request: “If you see or find a carcass, stay clear, inform other users in the area and report the location immediately to the Jasper Resource Conservation Office (780) 852-6155.”

Remember, bears can be found anywhere throughout the park at any time and bears move about quickly. The report only represents reported sightings not the actual locations of all bears.

What do you do if you see a bear? Being prepared is your best defense. Hundreds of people hike and bike every day in Jasper National Park and do so without any problems with bears. Learn more about avoiding bear attacks in Jasper National Park.

According to Parks Canada, 1,300 elk call Jasper National Park home. Elk, also called Wapiti, were re-introduced into the park after hunting had devastated the population. Today, the elk are doing alright. The population is strong enough that some elk are moving out - being transported to other parts of Alberta province.

Visitors spending a few days in the Jasper National Park are likely to stumble upon elk at some point during the trip. Elk are frequently seen along the Athabasca River parallel to Highway 16. The elk may be grazing on grass in herds in the woods or open fields.

This is a picture (view larger) of an elk I spotted in the woods along Pyramid Lake Road, on the way to Patricia Lake and Pyramid Lake. The drive to these lakes is quick from Jasper townsite. Elk, deer and other animals frequent the area and munch on the grass. Drive carefully because sometimes the elk use the road themselves. And be on the look-out for what other wildlife lurks in the woods.

A mature male elk with its huge antlers is a mighty animal. This Jasper traveler’s video shows a few male elk swimming across the water, probably the Athabasca River. The elk then walk onto the shore and greet the travelers. Seeing this in person would be an experience. Keep a distance though because an elk in mating season can be aggressive.

The elk looks very similar to the woodland caribou with the most noticeable difference being color and antler shapes. More pictures of Jasper elk can be found here. The woodland caribou, in contrast, is a declining species as deforestation and other factors impact its more specialized food source, the lichen. Learn more about woodland caribou in Jasper National Park.

According to the Edmonton Vue Weekly, 3 lynx were spotted in Jasper National Park near Marmot Basin on March 16. Sightings are rare so this was a treat. Click the link to see a picture and video of the lynx in Jasper.

According to Parks Canada’s February 2008 E-News here, there have been several recent sightings of lynx in Jasper. Wes Bradford, Jasper National Park’s Wildlife/Human Conflicts Specialist, says the cause is due to an increase in population of their primary food source, the rabbit. Another cause is the weather. As the snow thaws this time of year, it is sometimes easier for a lynx to walk on a roadway than the snow.

Bradford points out that mating season is also causing movement among lynx as males and females seek each other out. Females also kick sub-adults out of their litter during this season causing some confused immature lynx to wander.

Parks Canada’s Bradford provides advice to Jasper National Park visitors:

• Watch for lynx and other animals who are using park roads even more than usual;
• Slow down. It’s always easier to brake for wildlife if you’re already traveling a little slower;
• Be aware that during these spring conditions, a lynx may remain on the road sunning itself even if you drive right up to it.

Neat. The only place I’ve seen lynx in person was at Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida (pictured). It’s a Siberian Lynx not unlike what was seen in Jasper National Park. The Jasper National Park’s Canadian Lynx have slightly browner fur.

Learn more about the Canadian Lynx in other Canada national parks here.

Imagine playing a game of golf on a course surrounded by Canadian Rockies mountains. You’re having a great game. Then, to your surprise, the next hole is blocked by 3 black bears.

This historic Jasper National Park scene depicts a similar event. These black bears had lost their natural fear of humans and were playing on the golf course.

In the era of this vintage postcard (part of a vintage Jasper National Park postcard folder mentioned previously), black bears were tamed by regular feedings by tourists. Not so today. Modern bear management strategies try to restrict close contact with humans for the safety of both the black bear and the humans.

A recent Parks Canada brochure I picked up at the park information booth points out the importance of giving bears some space. Now more than ever, bears rely on the habitat of national parks but they are becoming obstacle courses for the bears who must navigate around towns, campgrounds, roads, railways and trails to find food. It says that the best thing visitors can do for bears is to limit exposure. Bears that become habituated to humans are more likely to suffer from human caused deaths.

As the weather starts to warm up, the black bears will be waking up, groggily coming out of hibernation throughout Jasper National Park.

• According to an article on PBS, there are 600,000 black bears on the North America continent.

When the black bear hibernates over winter, it goes into a deep sleep. The black bear’s metabolism and heartbeat slows down as it burns fat reserves for food. It only will wake up if there’s a significant change in the environment, such as loud noise.

As the hibernation period ends, black bears awake hungry. Visitors to Jasper National Park will soon see black bears out and about, foraging for food. They will be among the 600,000 hungry bears on the North America continent. Seeing just one is spectacular - as long as the black bear is not near your tent while camping in Jasper National Park!

This bear was seen last summer by a traveler in Banff National Park, the park connected on the southern border of Jasper National Park.

That’s the Jasper National Park bear truth.

Mountain goats are the rock-climbing heroes of Jasper National Park and one of the animals that visitors to the park most want to see. Learn where to see Jasper National Park mountain goats and see more pictures of mountain goats here.

For some mountain goat fun, play the Mad About Mountain Goats Memory Match Game (pictured at right).

(Photo by Lindsey Spirit)

Wonder what Jasper National Park looks like during the month of March?

Traveler Barbara made a recent trip to Jasper National Park and her travel gallery shows what the park looks like. Her album of March 2008 photos shows Jasper National Park wildlife including elk, deer and a coyote. There are also plenty of pictures of the snow-covered mountains and an iced Athabasca Falls river.

View Barbara’s complete Jasper National Park gallery here.

The gallery appears on Picasa, a photo website where anyone can add photos.