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Spirit Island on Maligne Lake, Jasper National Park
Photo: Christian Abend from Laufen /, Bayern / Deutschland, CC BY-SA 2.0

National park · Alberta, Canada

Jasper Wildlife Checklist

Jasper National Park, the largest park in the Canadian Rockies, is known for elk in and around Jasper town, mountain goats above the Icefields Parkway, bighorn sheep on Highway 16 and bears in the Athabasca valley. This checklist covers 73 animals, including the park's rare caribou. May and June are best for bears and newborn calves; September and October bring the elk rut.

Jasper is bigger, quieter and further from the cities than Banff, and a Dark Sky Preserve. A wildfire in July 2024 burned forest around the town, so some trails and viewpoints have changed: check Parks Canada before you go.

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The Jasper checklist in the Wilder app, started as a trip with the first animals ticked
Animals to find
73
Where
Alberta, Canada
Best time
May to Jun, Sep to Oct
Park size
11,000 km², the largest in the Rockies

Headline animals in Jasper

  • Elk, one of the animals to look for in Jasper

    Elk (Wapiti)

    Jasper's signature animal, often grazing at the edge of town and along the Athabasca. In the September to October rut, bulls bugle through the night; keep 30 metres away at all times.

    Photo: Thomas Fuhrmann, CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Mountain Goat, one of the animals to look for in Jasper

    Mountain Goat

    Goat Lookout on the Icefields Parkway south of Jasper looks down on a mineral lick they visit. Scan the cliffs with binoculars: at a distance they look like white specks.

    Photo: KimonBerlin, CC BY-SA 2.0

  • Caribou, one of the animals to look for in Jasper

    Caribou

    Jasper's southern mountain caribou are rare now: the herds are tiny, and Parks Canada closes some of their backcountry range in winter. A conservation breeding centre has been raising calves since 2025. Count yourself very lucky, and never go looking.

    Photo: Migueldalugdugan, CC BY-SA 4.0

  • Bighorn Sheep

    Lick road salt along Highway 16 east of town towards the park gate. Slow down: they stand in the road and don't move for cars.

  • Black Bear

    The bear you're most likely to see, feeding on the verges of Highway 16 and the Maligne Road in June. Stay in your vehicle and keep moving.

  • Grizzly Bear

    Seen along the Icefields Parkway and in open avalanche slopes in early summer, digging roots or grazing. A long lens and patience beat getting closer.

  • Moose

    Scarcer than most people expect. Quiet wetlands along the Maligne Road and the Icefields Parkway are the best chance, early or late in the day.

  • Harlequin Duck

    Striking slate-blue ducks on fast rivers in spring. The Maligne River has them in May and June, and parts of it are closed to boats to protect them.

  • Pika

    Listen for a sharp call from boulder fields along the Icefields Parkway and on the lower slopes of Mount Edith Cavell.

  • White-tailed Ptarmigan

    A grouse of the high tundra, brown and white in summer and pure white in winter. Wilcox Pass, near the Columbia Icefield, is a good alpine walk to look for it.

All 73 animals to spot in Jasper

Grouped the way you'll meet them. Tips show where to look.

Big mammals 9

Hunters 8

Small mammals 10

Birds of prey 6

Water birds 10

Mountain and forest birds 20

Reptiles and amphibians 5

Fish 5

  • Last reviewed September 2026.
  • Sources are listed below the questions.
  • Wild animals only. Please give them space.

Best time to see wildlife in Jasper

May and June are the best months for most wildlife in Jasper: bears graze green shoots on the verges, elk and sheep have their young, and Harlequin Ducks arrive on the rivers. July and August move many animals higher, so walk up to the tundra at Wilcox Pass or Mount Edith Cavell for pikas, marmots and ptarmigan. September and October are rut season, and Jasper town is one of the best places anywhere to hear bull elk bugle. Winter is quiet and cold, with sheep and elk low down and wolves occasionally along the Athabasca, and some backcountry areas close to protect caribou.

  • Mar-AprBears wake up; sheep and elk low down
  • May-JunBears on the verges, calving, Harlequin Ducks
  • Jul-AugAlpine walks: pikas, marmots, ptarmigan
  • Sep-OctElk rut in town, bears on berries
  • Nov-FebQuiet roads, winter caribou closures

Tips for spotting wildlife in Jasper

  1. Give the elk room

    Parks Canada asks for 30 metres from elk, deer, sheep, goats and moose, and 100 metres from bears, wolves and cougars. In Jasper town, walk around elk rather than between a cow and her calf.

  2. Drive Highway 16 slowly

    Sheep, elk, deer and bears use the verges east of town. Pull fully off the road if you stop, stay in the car and move on after a quick look.

  3. Walk the Maligne Canyon

    The canyon trail is good for American Dippers in the rushing water, and the Maligne Road beyond is a scenic drive for deer, bears and, with luck, moose.

  4. Respect the caribou closures

    Some backcountry areas close in winter and early spring to protect the last caribou. Check Parks Canada before a ski or hike trip, and never share sightings or locations.

  5. Check what the fire changed

    The 2024 wildfire closed or altered some trails near town, and the regrowth is already drawing grazers and woodpeckers. Parks Canada lists current closures.

The Wilder app

Take Jasper with you

Heading to Jasper? Tick off every elk, goat and bear in Wilder, and add Banff to the same trip if you're driving the Icefields Parkway. It's free to start and works with no signal.

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  • A summary of the tripEverything you saw, day by day.
  • A passport stampOne for Jasper, kept in your Wilder passport.
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The Jasper checklist in the Wilder app, started as a trip with the first animals ticked

Jasper wildlife FAQ

What wildlife can you see in Jasper National Park?

In Jasper you can expect elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep and Columbian ground squirrels, with a good chance of black bears, grizzlies and mountain goats from May to July. Moose, wolves, cougars and lynx are present but harder to find. Jasper also has a few caribou, the only ones left in the Rockies parks, though sightings are rare.

Are there caribou in Jasper?

Yes, but very few. Jasper's southern mountain caribou herds have fallen to a handful of animals, and one herd has disappeared. Parks Canada closes some backcountry areas in winter to protect them and runs a breeding centre to rebuild the herds. Treat any sighting as a bonus, and don't share where you saw them.

When is the elk rut in Jasper?

The elk rut in Jasper runs from early September to mid October, and bulls often gather cows in and around the town. It's a great time to hear bugling at dawn and dusk, but bulls can charge people and cars. Stay at least 30 metres away, watch from your vehicle, and follow any closures Parks Canada puts in place.

Where can you see mountain goats in Jasper?

Goat Lookout on the Icefields Parkway, south of Jasper town, is the classic place to see mountain goats, which visit a mineral lick below the viewpoint. Elsewhere, scan steep cliffs above the treeline in summer. Binoculars help, as goats often look like white specks on the rock, and keep at least 30 metres away if one is near the road.

Is Jasper better than Banff for wildlife?

Many people find Jasper better for wildlife, as it is larger and quieter, with elk in town, sheep on Highway 16 and the Maligne Valley. It is also the only one of the two with caribou. Banff is closer to Calgary and busier. The two parks share most animals, and Wilder can combine both lists into one trip.

Sources

Last reviewed September 2026

Photo credits

All photo credits. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, resized.

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