What Kind Of Wildlife Are In Our National Parks? Lesson Public

Age Group: 9 Subject: What kind of wildlife are in our National Parks? Generated: October 6, 2025 at 1:55 PM

Wildlife in Our National Parks

National Parks are special places protected by the government where plants and animals can live safely. These parks have many different types of habitats like forests, mountains, deserts, and wetlands. Each habitat is home to different kinds of wildlife that have adapted to live there. Rangers work in National Parks to protect the animals and make sure visitors don’t disturb them. When people visit National Parks, they might see animals in their natural homes.

Keywords:

  • Habitats
  • Rangers
  • Protected
  • Adapted

Reasoning Question with Two Choices:

  • When animals adapt to their environment, are they changing to fit their surroundings or forcing their surroundings to change for them? (changing to fit their surroundings)

Reasoning Question with a Predictable Answer:

  • When visiting a National Park, people should stay on marked trails to keep wildlife and themselves _____. (Expected completions: safe (75%), protected (15%), undisturbed (5%))

Reasoning Question with a Range of Responses:

  • Yellowstone is a National Park. Can you name another National Park?

Open-Ended Question:

  • How do you think animals might behave differently in protected National Parks compared to areas where people live and build cities?

Bears are one of the most exciting animals to see in National Parks. Black bears live in many parks across the United States, while grizzly bears are found in Alaska and parts of Wyoming and Montana. Bears eat many different foods including berries, fish, nuts, and sometimes small animals. They sleep through the winter in a state called hibernation when food is scarce. Visitors must be careful around bears and never feed them because wild bears should stay afraid of humans.

Keywords:

  • Hibernation
  • Grizzly
  • Scarce
  • Berries

Reasoning Question with Two Choices:

  • Is hibernation a survival strategy that helps bears conserve energy or a behavior that helps bears hunt more effectively? (conserve energy)

Reasoning Question with a Predictable Answer:

  • When camping in bear country, people should store their food in special containers to prevent bears from being attracted to their _____. (Expected completions: campsite (65%), smell (20%), area (10%))

Reasoning Question with a Range of Responses:

  • Bears eat berries as part of their diet. What is another animal that eats berries?

Open-Ended Question:

  • Why do you think it’s important for wild bears to maintain their natural fear of humans?

Birds of many different species make their homes in National Parks. Eagles soar high above mountain peaks looking for prey, while tiny hummingbirds zip between flowers drinking nectar. Woodpeckers tap on trees to find insects hiding under the bark. Some birds live in the parks all year, but others migrate thousands of miles each year, spending only summers or winters in the parks. Birdwatchers visit National Parks with binoculars hoping to spot rare and beautiful species.

Keywords:

  • Migrate
  • Nectar
  • Soar
  • Binoculars

Reasoning Question with Two Choices:

  • When birds migrate, are they traveling to find better weather conditions or to escape predators? (better weather conditions)

Reasoning Question with a Predictable Answer:

  • Birdwatchers often wake up very early in the morning because that’s when many birds are most _____. (Expected completions: active (70%), vocal (20%), visible (5%))

Reasoning Question with a Range of Responses:

  • Eagles are birds of prey. Can you name another bird of prey?

Open-Ended Question:

  • How might climate change affect birds that depend on specific seasonal patterns for their migration?

Underwater wildlife thrives in National Parks that include lakes, rivers, and ocean coastlines. Colorful fish swim in clear mountain streams, while larger fish like salmon return to their birthplaces to lay eggs. Frogs and salamanders develop from eggs to tadpoles in quiet ponds. In coastal parks, tide pools contain starfish, sea anemones, and crabs that can survive being underwater during high tide and exposed to air during low tide. Marine mammals like seals, sea lions, and whales can be spotted in parks along the ocean.

Keywords:

  • Tadpoles
  • Tide pools
  • Coastal
  • Salmon

Reasoning Question with Two Choices:

  • When salmon return to their birthplace to lay eggs, are they following learned behavior or instinctual patterns? (instinctual patterns)

Reasoning Question with a Predictable Answer:

  • Animals that live in tide pools must be able to survive both underwater and exposed to air, making them highly _____. (Expected completions: adaptable (60%), specialized (25%), resilient (10%))

Reasoning Question with a Range of Responses:

  • Frogs are amphibians. What is another type of amphibian?

Open-Ended Question:

  • How do you think pollution in waterways outside of National Parks might affect the aquatic wildlife living inside protected park boundaries?

Small mammals are abundant in National Parks but sometimes harder to spot than larger animals. Squirrels gather nuts and seeds to store for winter, while rabbits nibble on grasses and plants. Bats emerge at dusk to catch flying insects, and many of them live in caves within the parks. Mice, voles, and other rodents create tunnels underground where they raise their young. These small animals are an important food source for larger predators like foxes, coyotes, and birds of prey.

Keywords:

  • Abundant
  • Rodents
  • Dusk
  • Predators

Reasoning Question with Two Choices:

  • When small mammals create underground tunnels, are they primarily seeking protection from weather or from predators? (from predators)

Reasoning Question with a Predictable Answer:

  • In the food chain of a National Park, small mammals are often considered prey because they are hunted by larger _____. (Expected completions: animals (70%), predators (20%), species (5%))

Reasoning Question with a Range of Responses:

  • Squirrels are rodents that live in National Parks. Can you name another type of rodent?

Open-Ended Question:

  • How might the disappearance of small mammals from an ecosystem affect the other wildlife in a National Park?

Endangered species find safe havens in many National Parks. The California condor, once nearly extinct, now soars again in parks like Grand Canyon and Zion. Gray wolves have been reintroduced to Yellowstone, helping to balance the ecosystem by controlling deer and elk populations. Desert tortoises slowly roam protected lands in Joshua Tree and Death Valley National Parks. Park scientists monitor these rare animals carefully and work to increase their numbers. Protecting endangered species helps maintain biodiversity, which keeps ecosystems healthy and functioning properly.

Keywords:

  • Extinct
  • Reintroduced
  • Biodiversity
  • Ecosystem

Reasoning Question with Two Choices:

  • When scientists reintroduce species to National Parks, are they trying to restore natural balance or create artificial environments? (restore natural balance)

Reasoning Question with a Predictable Answer:

  • Endangered species need special protection because without intervention, they might become completely _____. (Expected completions: extinct (85%), gone (10%), eliminated (3%))

Reasoning Question with a Range of Responses:

  • The California condor is an endangered bird. Can you name another endangered animal?

Open-Ended Question:

  • Why do you think it’s important for humans to try to save endangered species rather than just letting nature take its course?

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