Don’t you just love animals? 

Humans might be at the top of the food chain but we are all really animals.  If you like to go looking for wildlife then read on, fellow travelers.  Visiting national parks in the U.S. not only offers the chance to enjoy some noteworthy natural landscapes, but it also allows one the opportunity to see the beasts that truly make the wilderness wild.  Here then, in no particular order, are 10 awesome animals you can spot in U.S. national parks. 

1.  The Bald Eagle

The bald eagle makes his home in North America.  These birds of prey are not actually bald.  The name references the older meaning of “white-headed.”  The adult bald eagle is brown with a white tail and head.  

All bald eagles have large, hooked beaks and the same plumage.  The bald eagle is the official national emblem of the USA.  They were officially dropped off the List of Endangered and Threatened Wildlife in 2007.  You can easily spot them in parks in the northern U.S., such as Acadia National Park.

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2. The American Alligator

The American alligator, known to some as the common alligator, is prevalent in the Southeastern US.  American alligators prefer freshwater wetlands like cypress swamps and marshes.  Males are larger than females.  

They can be over 15 feet long and weigh as much as 999 pounds.  They have broader snouts than American crocodiles.  The best place to spot them is the Everglades National Park in Florida.  You can see them from the safety of the boardwalks there, for a much closer look you should explore the park via boat.  

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3. The American Bison

Also known as the American buffalo, this species of bison once roamed the continent in huge herds.  Native American tribes have had spiritual and cultural connections to this animal for millennia.  The American buffalo is the official national mammal of the USA.  

It’s also the heaviest land mammal indigenous to North America.  Today travelers can still see them on the plains of Wyoming, and North and South Dakota.  The best places to spot them are in Badlands National Park, Grand Teton National Park, and Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

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4.  The Olympic Marmot

The awesome Olympic marmot is a cat-sized rodent in the squirrel family.  They live in colonies and typically weigh approximately 18 pounds.  The animal was deemed the official “endemic mammal” of the state of Washington in 2009. 

These animals reside almost exclusively in mountain meadows in popular Olympic National Park.  The park contains three different ecosystems and a lot of walking trails.  Thus, it’s said to be one of the very best places in the nation to spot wildlife including marmots, spotted owls, whales, or even giant slugs. 

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5.  Bighorn Sheep

The bighorn sheep is a specific species of sheep native to the continent.  They’re aptly named for their massive horns.  A pair of bighorn sheep horns can weigh as much as 30 pounds.  Ewes, or females, also have horns but they are not as curved and are shorter.  

The sheep can weigh as much as 316 pounds.  The male’s horns are both a status symbol and a weapon employed in territorial disputes.  You can spot them in such places as Utah’s Zion National Park and Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park.    

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6.  The Gray Wolf

The gray (or grey) wolf is a big canine native to both North America and Eurasia.  On average they weigh 88 pounds.  They’re up to 63 inches long and have a shoulder height of up to 33 inches.  This pack animal is thriving in Alaska but is otherwise endangered in almost every other state.  While you could potentially see a gray wolf in a number of US national parks, the best place to spot one is at the popular Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center found in famous Yellowstone National Park.

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7.  The Grizzly Bear

The grizzly bear, a.k.a. the North American brown bear is a large subspecies of North America’s brown bear.  They can weigh up to 790 pounds.  These bears can reach almost seven feet in length with a shoulder height of nearly four feet.

Some sources suggest that grizzly bears are possibly “the most feared” beasts residing in North America’s national parks.  After all, these large predators can reach a speed of 35 m.p.h.  If you can’t get to Alaska where most of them live, visit Montana’s well-known Glacier National Park.

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8.  The Hawksbill Sea Turtle

The Hawksbill Sea Turtle is a “Critically Endangered” sea turtle.  It looks much like other marine turtles.  It can grow to be three feet long.    

The average weight of one of these turtles is roughly 180 pounds but they have been known to be as heavy as 280 pounds.  These animals eat jellyfish, seaweed, and even very small crustaceans.  Although they are not isolated to Hawaii, the best place to see them is in the water at the beautiful Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

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9.  The Moose

The moose (or elk in Eurasia) is part of the deer subfamily known as New World deer.  It’s also the heaviest and largest member.  They can weigh up to 1400 pounds and have palmate or open-hand shaped antlers.

The moose is both majestic and dangerous.  Since the 1990s, the moose population in North America has been declining.  They can still be found living in the spruce, willow, and aspen forests of the northern US and Canada.  The best place to spot them is the Denali National Park in Alaska. 

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10. Salamanders

Salamanders are a group of lizard-like amphibians.  They have blunt snouts, slender bodies, soft skin, tails, and short limbs which are set at right angles to their bodies.  They rarely have more than eight front toes.  You can see a wide range of these amphibians in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, a.k.a. the “Salamander Capital of the World.”  Go for a hike and check under logs and rocks as for all 30 species that live here.  They love moist habitats.     

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