Nahanni National Park

🇨🇦 Canada

🐻 Brown Bear Trails Through Nahanni's Gorges
🌍 #274 Global · 3.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ #51 in North America #6 in Tundra
Canada, Canada 313 spp. recorded

Nahanni National Park is a rugged mountain and river wilderness in the Northwest Territories of Canada, famous for deep limestone canyons, sweeping alpine ridges, and wild whitewater rivers. Visitors hike through dense boreal spruce forests and tundra passes that rise above the tree line.

61.525° N   126.279° W

Wildlife

SIGHTING PROBABILITY Share of citizen-science records from the park that report this species
<5%
Rare5–20%
With luck20–40%
Possible40–70%
Likely>70%
Very likely
ACTIVITY PATTERN
☀️ Diurnal 🌙 Nocturnal 🌅 Crepuscular ☀️🌙 Day & Night

⭐ Iconic Species

Dall Sheep ★
LC Endemic

Dall Sheep

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Ovis dalli

50–60% · Likely
Brown Bear ★
LC Endemic

Brown Bear

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Ursus arctos

Insufficient data
Caribou ★
VU Endemic

Caribou

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Rangifer tarandus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Elk
LC

Elk

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Alces alces

70–80% · Very likely
American Black Bear
LC Endemic

American Black Bear

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ursus americanus

60–70% · Likely
Wood Frog
LC

Wood Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Lithobates sylvaticus

50–60% · Likely
American Red Squirrel
LC Endemic

American Red Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

Insufficient data
American Beaver
LC

American Beaver

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Castor canadensis

Insufficient data
American Bison
NT

American Bison

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Bison bison

Insufficient data
Gray Wolf
LC Endemic

Gray Wolf

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Canis lupus

40–50% · Likely
White-crowned Sparrow
LC

White-crowned Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zonotrichia leucophrys

30–40% · Possible
Dark-eyed Junco
LC

Dark-eyed Junco

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Junco hyemalis

30–40% · Possible
Yellow-rumped Warbler
LC

Yellow-rumped Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga coronata

30–40% · Possible
Wilson's Warbler
LC

Wilson's Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cardellina pusilla

20–30% · Possible
Spotted Sandpiper
LC

Spotted Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actitis macularius

20–30% · Possible

⭐ Iconic Species

Dall Sheep ★
LC Endemic

Dall Sheep

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Ovis dalli

50–60% · Likely
Brown Bear ★
LC Endemic

Brown Bear

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Ursus arctos

Insufficient data
Caribou ★
VU Endemic

Caribou

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Rangifer tarandus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

Elk
LC

Elk

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Alces alces

70–80% · Very likely
American Black Bear
LC Endemic

American Black Bear

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ursus americanus

60–70% · Likely
American Red Squirrel
LC Endemic

American Red Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

Insufficient data
American Beaver
LC

American Beaver

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Castor canadensis

Insufficient data
American Bison
NT

American Bison

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Bison bison

Insufficient data
Gray Wolf
LC Endemic

Gray Wolf

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Canis lupus

40–50% · Likely
Collared Pika
LC

Collared Pika

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Ochotona collaris

Insufficient data
Wolverine
LC

Wolverine

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Gulo gulo

Insufficient data
Red Fox
LC Endemic

Red Fox

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Vulpes vulpes

Insufficient data
Arctic Ground Squirrel
LC

Arctic Ground Squirrel

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Urocitellus parryii

Insufficient data
Muskrat
LC

Muskrat

☀️🌙 Day & Night Mammal

Ondatra zibethicus

Insufficient data
Snowshoe Hare
LC

Snowshoe Hare

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Lepus americanus

Insufficient data

📊 Most Spotted

White-crowned Sparrow
LC

White-crowned Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Zonotrichia leucophrys

30–40% · Possible
Dark-eyed Junco
LC

Dark-eyed Junco

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Junco hyemalis

30–40% · Possible
Yellow-rumped Warbler
LC

Yellow-rumped Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Setophaga coronata

30–40% · Possible
Wilson's Warbler
LC

Wilson's Warbler

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cardellina pusilla

20–30% · Possible
Spotted Sandpiper
LC

Spotted Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Actitis macularius

20–30% · Possible
Swainson's Thrush
LC

Swainson's Thrush

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Catharus ustulatus

20–30% · Possible
Lincoln's Sparrow
LC

Lincoln's Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Melospiza lincolnii

20–30% · Possible
Lesser Yellowlegs
VU

Lesser Yellowlegs

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa flavipes

20–30% · Possible
Common Yellowthroat
LC

Common Yellowthroat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Geothlypis trichas

20–30% · Possible
Solitary Sandpiper
LC

Solitary Sandpiper

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tringa solitaria

10–20% · With luck
Willow Grouse
LC Endemic

Willow Grouse

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lagopus lagopus

10–20% · With luck
Arctic Tern
LC

Arctic Tern

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Sterna paradisaea

10–20% · With luck

📊 Most Spotted

📊 Most Spotted

Wood Frog
LC

Wood Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Lithobates sylvaticus

50–60% · Likely
Boreal Chorus Frog
LC

Boreal Chorus Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Pseudacris maculata

Insufficient data

Animal Events

🦌

Mountain Scaling

MayJun

Dall sheep gather on precipitous mineral licks and lower slopes to replenish essential nutrients following the harsh winter months, engaging in dramatic head-butting dominance displays.

Dall Sheep
LC Endemic

Dall Sheep

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Ovis dalli

50–60% · Likely
🦌

Late Summer Berry Feeding

Aug

Brown bears actively forage across the tundra and valley slopes to consume abundant berries, building critical fat reserves before entering winter dormancy.

Brown Bear
LC Endemic

Brown Bear

🌅 Crepuscular Mammal

Ursus arctos

Insufficient data
🦌

Mid-Summer Wetland Activity

Jul

Caribou migrate to higher, windswept plateaus and breezy ridges to escape biting insects, while wood frogs emerge in full chorus across the damp forest floors.

Caribou
VU Endemic

Caribou

☀️ Diurnal Mammal

Rangifer tarandus

Insufficient data
Wood Frog
LC

Wood Frog

☀️ Diurnal Amphibian

Lithobates sylvaticus

50–60% · Likely

Sighting Calendar

Chance of spotting each species, month by month

Months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Species Total
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
Dall Sheep
40–50
50–60
60–70
40–50
70–80
70–80
30–40
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
50–60
Brown Bear
20–30
30–40
20–30
30–40
20–30
20–30
5–10
40–50
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
Caribou
40–50
40–50
30–40
40–50
40–50
30–40
60–70
10–20
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
Elk
80–90
70–80
60–70
70–80
80–90
70–80
70–80
70–80
60–70
80–90
70–80
70–80
American Black Bear
50–60
60–70
40–50
50–60
50–60
60–70
50–60
60–70
70–80
50–60
50–60
60–70
Wood Frog
40–50
50–60
30–40
50–60
40–50
30–40
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
50–60
American Red Squirrel
40–50
40–50
60–70
40–50
40–50
30–40
30–40
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
American Beaver
40–50
40–50
30–40
40–50
40–50
30–40
30–40
50–60
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
American Bison
40–50
40–50
60–70
40–50
40–50
30–40
30–40
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
40–50
Gray Wolf
40–50
40–50
30–40
40–50
40–50
20–30
30–40
50–60
30–40
40–50
70–80
40–50
White-crowned Sparrow
20–30
30–40
30–40
30–40
20–30
20–30
40–50
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
Dark-eyed Junco
20–30
30–40
30–40
30–40
20–30
40–50
30–40
10–20
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
Yellow-rumped Warbler
20–30
30–40
30–40
30–40
20–30
40–50
30–40
10–20
30–40
30–40
30–40
30–40
Wilson's Warbler
20–30
20–30
20–30
20–30
20–30
20–30
30–40
20–30
20–30
20–30
20–30
20–30
Spotted Sandpiper
20–30
20–30
20–30
20–30
10–20
30–40
20–30
10–20
20–30
20–30
20–30
20–30
Animal Events
🦌 Mountain Scaling
🦌 Late Summer Berry Feeding
🦌 Mid-Summer Wetland Activity
0.0 ★★★★★ ★★★★★ Good
🐻 Brown Bear Trails Through Nahanni's Gorges

Where Wildlife Score

How good is this park for seeing wildlife?
🦜

Biodiversity

Good

How rich is the wildlife?

4.3 Global avg
3.9 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
Species by taxon
🦅 Birds
243
🐒 Mammals
66
🦎 Reptiles
0
🐸 Amphibians
4
313 Total Species
850 Global average across 296 parks
10 Threatened 38 Endemic
🔭

Sighting

Good

How likely to see animals?

3.6 Global avg
2.6 ★★★★★ ★★★★★
🎯
Top-12 Avg Probability
62% Global avg
46%
📊
Coverage (88 species at ≥5% of 313 in the inventory)
24% Global avg
28%
🔀
Taxon variety in top 12 (8 mammal, 3 bird, 1 amphibian)
46% Global avg
65%
🔭
Species per 10 outings (distinct species a visitor would meet over 10 outings — effort held equal across parks)
134 Global avg
67
🌟
Iconic-group species (≥15%) (every species from the 19 iconic groups — monkeys, cats, toucans, macaws, sloths, crocodilians… — not just the 4 highlighted above)
15 Global avg
11
⭐
High-prob species (>40%)
27 Global avg
9

Quick answers

What animals can you see in Nahanni National Park?

The most likely sightings are Elk (seen by 70–80% of wildlife watchers), American Black Bear (seen by 60–70% of wildlife watchers), Dall Sheep (seen by 50–60% of wildlife watchers), Wood Frog (seen by 50–60% of wildlife watchers), American Red Squirrel (seen by 40–50% of wildlife watchers) — among 313 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.

When is the best time to visit Nahanni National Park for wildlife?

November has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.

Can you see Dall Sheep in Nahanni National Park?

Yes — about 52% of wildlife watchers report a Dall Sheep sighting in Nahanni National Park, based on 6 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Brown Bear in Nahanni National Park?

Yes — about 31% of wildlife watchers report a Brown Bear sighting in Nahanni National Park, based on 2 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Can you see Caribou in Nahanni National Park?

Yes — about 45% of wildlife watchers report a Caribou sighting in Nahanni National Park, based on 4 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

⚖️

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