Here's a little info on some of the common and not-so-common flora and fauna that can be found within Yellowstone National Park.

Lodgepole Pine
– Most common tree in the park
– Can reach 75 feet in height
– Used by Native Americans to make frames for tepees or lodges, hence the name
– When in thick groves only upper reaches of the tree have branches and needles
– Occupy 75 to 80 percent of Yellowstone's forests

Englemann Spruce
– Thrives in areas with rich volcanic soil

Indian Paintbrush
– 200 different species
– Named from a Native American legend about a brave trying to paint a sunset and throwing down his brushes in frustration

Bison, or Buffalo
– Once roamed the plains numbering in the millions
– Hunted nearly to extinction at the turn of the century
– August is rutting season when males compete for the attentions of female bison, or cows
– Be wary and stay out of their way. Although seemingly placid, they can move at speeds of up to 30 miles an hour, are immensely strong, and have horns. Every year visitors to Yellowstone find out about the power of these animals the hard way with injury and, at times, death

Moose
– Tend to be reclusive
– Seen along streams and in willow thickets
– Males have enormous antlers, whereas females have none
– Their long legs are an adaptation for moving in thick marshes and deep snow

Elk
– Yellowstone's summer herd is estimated at around 30,000. In the winter, some elk remain in the park around geyser basins, whereas others migrate into federal, state, and private lands in Yellowstone's periphery
– Their mating sound, a deep-throated sound called "bugling," can be heard during September and October as the bulls compete for the attention of groups (or harems) of female elk (or cows)
– The dominant male elk gather large harems of female elk while the younger, aging, or smaller elk try their luck and look for opportunity when it comes their way

Pronghorn, or antelope
– Found in rolling sage plains in Yellowstone's north end
– Can run up to 60 mph and leap 20 feet in a single bound

Coyote
– A smaller canine usually with a mottled gray coat
– Important predator that hunts smaller mammals, birds, and sick or injured elk
– Population and behavior greatly impacted by the recent reintroduction of wolves

Osprey
– A raptor specializing in diving into lakes and streams to catch fish
– 50 to 60 pairs call Yellowstone home, returning to the same nests every spring
– Osprey can be identified by wings bent with a crook. This differentiates them from other birds of prey whose wings go straight out from their body.
– Distinctive white head and dark brown body are other sure identifiers
– Look for their nests at the top of trees along rivers and lakes

Grizzly bear
– Once roamed the entire continent. Now isolated to Yellowstone and Glacier National Park and surrounding countryside in the lower 48
– Protected in park since 1886
– Native foods: elk, trout, scavenged carcasses of winter kills, grubs, pinenuts, berries
– Used to scavenge from dumps and begged along the roads
– Park Service adopted a strict policy to get grizzlies and black bears back to living in a natural way by enforcing rules, closing dumps, and educating the public on food storage
– Problem bears are first relocated, then killed or "destroyed" if they continue to be a problem
– Your behavior and observation of the rules will help these impressive animals survive and thrive. Keep your distance
– Healthier population today; numbers stable or slightly rising but still classified as threatened
– Grizzlies often inhabit higher elevations but can be found throughout the park
– Please report bear sightings to ranger stations

Black bear
– Much more common than grizzlies
– Lives within the denser forest areas

More about bear behavior