Yosemite at a Glance: Plants & Animals

Yosemite hosts a variety of communities. Some wildlife species remain in one community year-round, surviving and adapting to seasonal changes. Others move through several communities during the year. In higher elevations adaptations are essential for survival; most mammals and birds migrate south or to lower elevations in winter.

Geology
Waterfalls

Communities

Move your mouse over the images below for more information about the different communities. Click on the labels at left for details about the plants and animals that live there. You can also view or print a non-interactive version of this information (166K). (Click here to get the Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

Alpine
Sub- Alpine
Upper Montane
Lower Montane
Foothill