Guide Sections
Use Wildlife's guide sections to understand how this stop fits into the larger park plan.
Wildlife Details
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Learn About the Park
The habitat of the north and south rims of the Grand Canyon are markedly different, but both sustain an interesting variety of native wildlife. Most of the South Rim is in the Upper Sonoran Life Zone and is home to gray fox, mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep, and rock squirrels, while the North Rim lies in the Boreal Zone and is roamed by mountain lions, Kaibab squirrels, and northern goshawks, among other species. The South Rim is also home to several endangered California condors. Some of these animals also live within the canyon walls, although the abyss presents a genetic barrier to squirrels: the Kaibab squirrel lives only on the North Rim, while the South Rim is home to the tassel-eared Abert squirrel. You may encounter desert bighorn sheep along the Colorado River, along with beavers and bats, and bald eagles winter inside the canyon and feast on river trout. Six rattlesnake species are among the 47 types of reptiles that live in the canyon.