Yosemite Wildlife
The Wonder of Animal Life in California's Sierra Nevada

By (author) Beth Pratt

ISBN13: 9781951179267

Imprint: Yosemite Conservancy

Publisher: Yosemite Conservancy

Format: Hardback

Published: 30/10/2025

Availability: Not yet available

Description
The first comprehensive book in more than a century dedicated entirely to Yosemite’s remarkable wild animal world. Countless books have been written about Yosemite National Park’s renowned scenery, yet as incredible as it is to us, Half Dome is also someone’s home. Social media is flooded with people all over the world sharing their excitement about the antics of the park’s distinctive residents: black bears causing traffic in “bear jams,” mule deer grazing in Ahwahnee Meadow, and coyotes sauntering in the shadow of El Capitan. Yosemite Wildlife goes beyond the field guides and offers extensive portraits of the park’s creatures—a remarkable new publication sure to be welcomed by the more than 4 million annual park visitors and anyone interested in the Sierra Nevada. Readers will discover: 150+ species, including mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects 300+ photographs and archival images Commonly and rarely seen animals Rewilding success stories Profiles of the park scientists and others who protect wildlife This lively and accessible blend of storytelling, the latest research, natural history, and compelling wildlife photographs fills a 100-year gap in publishing that will deeply connect people to this world-renowned national park in California. Crafted over decades by writer and conservation leader Beth Pratt to fulfill her vision of continuing the legacy of Grinnell & Storer's landmark 1924 work, Animal Life in the Yosemite. Beth's writing is accompanied by the work of naturalist-photographer Robb Hirsch, who spent more than 30 years in the field photographing animals so as not to impact them by his presence; his photography tells a distinct story of the park's dazzling wildlife at its most undisturbed.  Yosemite Wildlife shines a spotlight on species that not only make their homes in the park but also come with only-in-Yosemite stories such as those charismatic bears, the peregrine falcons brought back from the brink of extinction in part by big-wall rock climbers, and the tiny amphibians that persist on the tallest peaks. The book celebrates decades of conservation and observation, by visitors and professionals, through highlighting charming and nostalgic pieces from the park’s Archive, such as reproductions of handwritten wildlife observation cards and articles excerpted from the beloved Yosemite Nature Notes magazine. Some of this archival material has never been published! This image-rich, engagingly readable volume is a feast for the eyes and has been crafted to appeal to anyone eager to dip in and find out more about Yosemite’s enchanting wildlife. Yet the breadth and depth of information will also serve as an excellent reference for educators and scientists. Yosemite is one of America's most precious resources. Yosemite Wildlife does this distinction proud, showcasing the creatures of the park that are as captivating as the spray of Yosemite Falls, the dizzying heights of Glacier Point, or the iconic Half Dome.
CONTENTS   Preface: The Wonder of Yosemite Wildlife   From the Photographer                                                                      Introduction: A Legacy for the Future of Yosemite Wildlife   1 Rock Stars: Life on Big Walls Bats Mount Lyell Salamander Peregrine Falcon White-Throated Swift Golden Eagle Ringtail Red-Breasted Nuthatch California Kingsnakes Sierran Treefrog Yosemite Cave Pseudoscorpion Bushy-Tailed Woodrat   2 An Ode to Yosemite’s Black Bear: A Wild Bear Is a Beautiful Sight to See   3 High Country Marvels: Wildlife with an Altitude American Pika Clark’s Nutcracker Yellow-Bellied Marmot Yosemite Toad Gray-Crowned Rosy Finch Fairy Shrimp Mountain Bluebird Belding’s Ground Squirrel Mountain Pocket Gopher Sooty Grouse Golden-Mantled Ground Squirrel Mountain Chickadee Sierra Nevada Yellow-Legged Frog Jackrabbits Alpine Chipmunk Mount Lyell Shrew Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep   4 The Magic of Alpine Butterflies: Small but Mighty California Tortoiseshell Painted Lady Anise Swallowtail Lustrous Copper Sierra Nevada Blue Edith’s Checkerspot Sierra Nevada Parnassian Ivallda Arctic Sierra Green Sulphur Sandhill Skipper   5 Mountaineering Mule Deer: Talented and Resilient Travelers   6 In the Land of Giant Sequoias: Dwellers of the Forests Douglas Squirrel (Chickaree) Long-Horned Wood-Boring Beetle Steller’s Jay Western Tanager Northern Pacific Rattlesnake Spotted Owl Northern Flying Squirrel Western Fence Lizard Golden-Crowned Kinglet California Ground Squirrel Alligator Lizard American Goshawk Lodgepole Chipmunk Mountain Quail Trowbridge’s Shrew Bats White-Headed Woodpecker Red-Breasted Sapsucker Fisher   7 Native Cats: Feline Survivors of the Ice Age Mountain Lion Bobcat   8 Songbirds of Yosemite: A Sierra Symphony of Avian Musicians Cassin’s Finch Black-Headed Grosbeak Song Sparrow Canyon Wren Oak Titmouse Hermit Thrush Pine Siskin Yellow-Rumped Warbler White-Crowned Sparrow Western Wood-Peewee Spotted Towhee Hummingbirds   9 Yosemite’s Waterworlds: The Life Aquatic Western Pond Turtle American Dipper River Otter Native Fish North American Beaver Great Blue Heron Sierra Newt Duck, Geese, and Other Waterfowl Osprey Dragonflies Black Swift California Red-Legged Frog Willow Flycatcher   The Great Gray Owl: A Ghost with Origins in the North   10 Charismatic Canines: Wild Dogs of the Sierra Sierra Nevada Red Fox Gray Fox Coyote Gray Wolf   11 Miscellany: Some Other Animal Friends You May Make in Yosemite Acorn Woodpecker American Robin Badger Bald Eagle Bees Big-Eared Woodrat Brush Rabbit California Condor California Pink Glowworm California Sister Butterfly California Scrub-Jay California Quail California Toad Cobalt Milkweed Beetle Common Raven Dark-eyed Junco Deer Mouse Ensatinas Garter Snakes Great Horned Owl Long-Tailed Weasel Monarch Butterfly Northern Flicker Northern Pygmy-Owl Pileated Woodpecker Porcupine Raccoon Rain Beetle Red-Tailed Hawk Sagebrush Lizard Sandhill Crane Sierra Nevada Mountain Beaver Skinks Skunks Tarantula and Tarantula Hawk Turkey Vulture Violet-Green Swallow Western Black Carpenter Ant Western Bluebird Western Gray Squirrel White-Lined Sphinx Moth Wolverine   Learn More   Acknowledgments   About the Author and the Photographer   Notes   Bibliography and Further Reading   Index
  • Animals & nature in art (still life, landscapes & seascapes, etc)
  • Conservation of the environment
  • General (US: Trade)
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List Price: £39.99