Encountering Wildlife

This graphic is from the 2022 Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife campaign, Keep Wildlife Wild.

My Mom is Coming Back

Sometimes, especially after the snow melts, newly born and young animals may seem lost or alone. Sometimes the mother or care-giving adult is foraging nearby, but is hidden from your sight. Even if a young animal appears in distress, please let it be. Do not approach, pick up, or try to feed a young animal.

How to Help

Care should be taken not to disturb the animal. Make note of the animal's location and observe the surrounding activity. Then report your observations to a visitor center or any park employee. A wildlife specialist or law ennforcement officer will be notified.

 

Speeding Kills Wildlife

Bears, marmots and other animals will sometimes travel along roadways. This is especially true during migration in the spring as the snow melts, and in the fall when they are fattening up for a long winter. 

Most wildlife encounters on the road are deadly. More often than not, these occur because the driver was speeding. Nowhere in the park is the speed greater than 45 and in many areas it slows to 20. During dawn and dusk when many animals are moving around it can be difficult to see them along the road, going slow is the best way to protect them.

 

A golden mantled ground squirrel (Callospermophilus lateralis) and other squirrels eat seeds from a variety of tree cones.

NPS Photo 2022 Mimi Gorman

Foraging for Food

Animals are adorable! They also know how to get what they want: YOUR FOOD.

The best food for animals is food for which they forage, food found growing and living in their habitat. This does not include the crumbs left behind after a picnic, food not stored properly or the pistachios, peanuts and chips given by hand in the hopes to photograph an animal close-up.

• Don't encourage wildlife to feed from your hand or encourage the ground squirrels and chipmunks to continue their unhealthy practice of begging.
• Keep all food securely stored and out of reach from wildlife. Campers should use the bear boxes in the campgrounds and day visitors should store food securely in their vehicles.

Did you know: Some members of the Corvid bird family are not-so-lovingly called "Camp Robbers" because they take any opportunity to steal your unattended food.

 

Wildlife Sightings

Learn how to safely observe the different types of animals found in Crater Lake and other national parks. Find tips on what to do if you unexpectedly encounter wildlife.

Observing bears, bats, birds & more