Katmai National Park and Preserve, on the northern Alaska Peninsula, was first protected as a national monument in 1918 to preserve the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, left behind by a huge volcanic eruption in 1912. Over the years its boundaries grew to protect brown bears and their habitat, and in 1980 it became a national park and preserve. Today Katmai is best known for its brown bears, which crowd Brooks Falls in July because it is one of the first places in the region where they can catch salmon fresh from the ocean. Scientists have documented 42 species of mammals here, from the coast to the tundra. Moose share the coastal and lake regions with the bears, and caribou, red foxes, gray wolves, Canada lynx, wolverines, river otters, beavers, porcupines and snowshoe hares also live here. Wolves have even been seen fishing alongside the bears at Brooks Camp. Along the coast, sea otters, Steller sea lions, harbor seals and harbor porpoises feed in the water, and humpback whales can be seen in Shelikof Strait.
The Alaska Peninsula is one of the best places in North America to watch birds, especially during spring migration and the summer nesting season. In summer, thrushes, warblers and sparrows are abundant in the park’s interior, loons and grebes nest along marshy lake shores, Arctic terns nest on lakeshore gravel bars, and harlequin ducks nest along fast-moving streams. Spruce grouse, ptarmigan, great horned owls, ravens, gray jays, magpies, chickadees and redpolls stay through the winter, and bald eagles hunt wherever they can find open water. On the Pacific coast, horned and tufted puffins, black-legged kittiwakes and common murres nest on rocky headlands and offshore islands. Each summer, sockeye salmon return from the ocean to spawn. The run begins in late June, and by the end of July a million fish may have moved from Bristol Bay into the Naknek system of lakes and rivers, feeding bears, bald eagles and rainbow trout. Katmai’s waters also hold Arctic char, Dolly Varden, lake trout, Arctic grayling and northern pike, and the wood frog is the only amphibian on the park’s species list. Keep reading to see featured photos of Katmai’s wildlife and to learn more about wildlife photography.
Featured Katmai National Park and Preserve Wildlife Photographs
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Wildlife Photography Tips
Wildlife photography in the US National Parks offers a unique and enriching experience, as these protected areas are havens for diverse species and pristine natural landscapes. Capturing wildlife in such settings requires preparation and respect for both the environment and its inhabitants. Photographers should familiarize themselves with the specific animals and ecosystems of the park they are visiting, as each park hosts different species and behaviors. Early mornings and late afternoons, known as the golden hours, provide the best light and increased wildlife activity. Different seasons also offer different wildlife viewing opportunities. Patience and stillness are key, as the best moments often come to those who wait quietly.
If wildlife does present itself, always make sure to maintain a safe distance. Using a telephoto lens allows for close-up shots without intruding on the animals’ space. If you already own or want to own a professional grade mirrored camera like the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Full Frame Digital SLR, we recommend using a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens zoom lens for wildlife photography. If you have or are interested in a newer mirrorless model like the Canon EOS R5 Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera, we recommend using a Canon RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM Black for long distance shots.
Not quite ready to invest in traditional professional-grade camera equipment but want to enhance the quality of your cell phone photographs? Consider using a Moment Tele 58mm Mobile Lens II for improved reach, and use a Moment camera case with a lens mount to attach it to your phone. Since cell phones generally cannot provide the same reach as a dedicated telephoto camera lens, never compensate by moving dangerously close to wildlife. As with any visit to a national park, it’s important to follow park regulations, practice “Leave No Trace” principles, and prioritize safety while photographing wildlife.
Want to take your wildlife photos further? Featured photographer Vella Torvik shares her field-tested advice on gear, camera settings, light, composition and safely approaching wildlife in our Wildlife Photography 101: Insider Tips From the Field masterclass.
Katmai Wildlife Education and Resources
Want to learn more about Katmai National Park and Preserve and the wildlife that inhabits it? Check out these guides & books:
- Peterson Field Guide To Mammals Of North America: Fourth Edition (Peterson Field Guides)
- Peterson Field Guide To Birds Of Western North America, Fifth Edition (Peterson Field Guides)
- Bird Songs: 250 North American Birds in Song
- Peterson Field Guide To Western Reptiles & Amphibians, Fourth Edition (Peterson Field Guides)
- Peterson Field Guide to Freshwater Fishes, Second Edition (Peterson Field Guides)
- Animal Tracks: A Folding Pocket Guide to the Tracks & Signs of Familiar North American Species (Wildlife and Nature Identification)
Please note, by making purchases through our affiliate links, you are supporting our mission to celebrate and showcase our National Parks and the photographers who frequent them. As an Amazon Associate, National Park Photographer earns from qualifying purchases at no cost to you. We appreciate your support.
Katmai National Park and Preserve Species List
The wildlife at Katmai National Park and Preserve is beautiful and diverse. There are a variety of mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and fish to view. Check out all the incredible species this park has to offer! Click on the links below to see the different animal species that inhabit Katmai National Park and Preserve:
Species Spotlight
Photo posts of animals you’ll find in Katmai.
Katmai National Park and Preserve Mammals
36 species
- American Beaver(Castor canadensis)
- American Marten(Martes americana)NPS lists the marten among the park’s mammals (NPSpecies: Probably Present).
- Arctic Ground Squirrel(Spermophilus parryii)
- Brown Bear Photo post(Ursus arctos)
- Canada Lynx(Lynx canadensis)
- Caribou Photo post(Rangifer tarandus)
- Coyote Photo post(Canis latrans)
- Ermine(Mustela erminea)
- Gray Wolf(Canis lupus)
- Harbor Porpoise(Phocoena phocoena)
- Harbor Seal(Phoca vitulina)
- Hoary Marmot(Marmota caligata)
- Humpback Whale(Megaptera novaeangliae)
- Killer Whale(Orcinus orca)
- Least Weasel(Mustela nivalis)
- Little Brown Bat(Myotis lucifugus)
- Masked Shrew(Sorex cinereus)
- Meadow Jumping Mouse(Zapus hudsonius)
- Meadow Vole(Microtus pennsylvanicus)
- Mink(Mustela vison)
- Montane Shrew(Sorex monticolus)
- Moose Photo post(Alces alces)
- North American Porcupine Photo post(Erethizon dorsatum)
- Northern Bog Lemming(Synaptomys borealis)
- Northern Fur Seal(Callorhinus ursinus)
- Northern Redback Vole(Clethrionomys rutilus)
- Northern River Otter(Lontra canadensis)
- Northern Sea Lion(Eumetopias jubatus)
- Northern Sea Otter(Enhydra lutris kenyoni)
- Pygmy Shrew(Sorex hoyi)
- Red Fox Photo post(Vulpes vulpes)
- Red Squirrel(Tamiasciurus hudsonicus)
- Snowshoe Hare(Lepus americanus)
- Tundra Shrew(Sorex tundrensis)
- Tundra Vole(Microtus oeconomus)
- Wolverine(Gulo gulo)
No mammals match.
Katmai National Park and Preserve Birds
160 species
- Alder Flycatcher(Empidonax alnorum)
- Aleutian Tern(Onychoprion aleuticus)
- American Dipper(Cinclus mexicanus)
- American Golden-plover(Pluvialis dominica)
- American Kestrel(Falco sparverius)
- American Pipit(Anthus rubescens)
- American Robin Photo post(Turdus migratorius)
- American Three-toed Woodpecker(Picoides dorsalis)
- American Tree Sparrow(Spizella arborea)
- American Wigeon(Anas americana)
- Ancient Murrelet(Synthliboramphus antiquus)
- Arctic Tern(Sterna paradisaea)
- Arctic Warbler(Phylloscopus borealis)
- Baird’s Sandpiper(Calidris bairdii)
- Bald Eagle Photo post(Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
- Bank Swallow(Riparia riparia)
- Barrow’s Goldeneye(Bucephala islandica)
- Belted Kingfisher(Ceryle alcyon)
- Black Oystercatcher(Haematopus bachmani)
- Black Scoter(Melanitta nigra)
- Black Turnstone(Arenaria melanocephala)
- Black-bellied Plover(Pluvialis squatarola)
- Black-billed Magpie(Pica hudsonia)
- Black-capped Chickadee(Poecile atricapillus)
- Black-legged Kittiwake(Rissa tridactyla)
- Blackpoll Warbler(Dendroica striata)
- Bonaparte’s Gull(Larus philadelphia)
- Boreal Chickadee(Poecile hudsonica)
- Brant(Branta bernicla)
- Brown Creeper(Certhia americana)
- Bufflehead(Bucephala albeola)
- Canada Goose(Branta canadensis)
- Canvasback(Aythya valisineria)
- Common Eider(Somateria mollissima)
- Common Goldeneye(Bucephala clangula)
- Common Loon Photo post(Gavia immer)
- Common Merganser(Mergus merganser)
- Common Murre(Uria aalge)
- Common Raven(Corvus corax)
- Common Redpoll(Carduelis flammea)
- Dark-eyed Junco(Junco hyemalis)
- Double-crested Cormorant(Phalacrocorax auritus)
- Downy Woodpecker(Picoides pubescens)
- Dunlin(Calidris alpina)
- Fork-tailed Storm-petrel(Oceanodroma furcata)
- Fox Sparrow(Passerella iliaca)
- Gadwall(Anas strepera)
- Glaucus Gull(Larus hyperboreus)
- Glaucus-winged Gull(Larus glaucescens)
- Golden Eagle(Aquila chrysaetos)
- Golden-crowned Kinglet(Regulus satrapa)
- Golden-crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia atricapilla)
- Gray Jay(Perisoreus canadensis)
- Gray-cheeked Thrush(Catharus minimus)
- Gray-crowned Rosy-finch(Leucosticte tephrocotis)
- Great Gray Owl(Strix nebulosa)
- Great Horned Owl(Bubo virginianus)
- Greater Scaup(Aythya marila)
- Greater White-fronted Goose(Anser albifrons)
- Greater Yellowlegs(Tringa melanoleuca)
- Green-winged Teal(Anas crecca)
- Gyrfalcon(Falco rusticolus)
- Harlequin Duck Photo post(Histrionicus histrionicus)
- Hermit Thrush(Catharus guttatus)
- Herring Gull(Larus argentatus)
- Hooded Merganser(Lophodytes cucullatus)
- Horned Grebe(Podiceps auritus)
- Horned Lark(Eremophila alpestris)
- Horned Puffin(Fratercula corniculata)
- Hudsonian Godwit(Limosa haemastica)
- King Eider(Somateria spectabilis)
- Kittlitz’s Murrelet(Brachyramphus brevirostris)
- Lapland Longspur(Calcarius lapponicus)
- Least Sandpiper(Calidris minutilla)
- Lesser Scaup(Aythya affinis)
- Lesser Yellowlegs(Tringa flavipes)
- Lincoln’s Sparrow(Melospiza lincolnii)
- Long-tailed Duck(Clangula hyemalis)
- Long-tailed Jaeger(Stercorarius longicaudus)
- Mallard(Anas platyrhynchos)
- Marbled Godwit(Limosa fedoa)
- Marbled Murrelet(Brachyramphus marmoratus)
- Mckay’s Bunting(Plectrophenax hyperboreus)
- Merlin(Falco columbarius)
- Mew Gull(Larus canus)
- Northern Flicker(Colaptes auratus)
- Northern Goshawk(Accipiter gentilis)
- Northern Harrier(Circus cyaneus)
- Northern Hawk Owl(Surnia ulula)
- Northern Pintail(Anas acuta)
- Northern Saw-whet Owl(Aegolius acadicus)
- Northern Shirke(Lanius excubitor)
- Northern Shoveler(Anas clypeata)
- Northern Waterthrush(Seiurus noveboracensis)
- Northwestern Crow(Corvus caurinus)
- Olive-sided Flycatcher(Contopus cooperi)
- Orange-crowned Warbler(Vermivora celata)
- Osprey(Pandion haliaetus)
- Pacific Golden-plover(Pluvialis fulva)
- Pacific Loon(Gavia pacifica)
- Pacific Wren(Troglodytes pacificus)
- Parakeet Auklet(Aethia psittacula)
- Parasitic Jaeger(Stercorarius parasiticus)
- Pectoral Sandpiper(Calidris melanotos)
- Pelagic Cormorant(Phalacrocorax pelagicus)
- Peregrine Falcon(Falco peregrinus)
- Pigeon Guillemot(Cepphus columba)
- Pine Grosbeak(Pinicola enucleator)
- Red Crossbill(Loxia curvirostra)
- Red-breasted Merganser(Mergus serrator)
- Red-breasted Nuthatch(Sitta canadensis)
- Red-faced Cormorant(Phalacrocorax urile)
- Red-necked Grebe(Podiceps grisegena)
- Red-necked Phalarope(Phalaropus lobatus)
- Red-throated Loon(Gavia stellata)
- Redhead(Aythya americana)
- Rhinocerus Auklet(Cerorhinca monocerata)
- Rock Ptarmigan(Lagopus muta)
- Rock Sandpiper(Calidris ptilocnemis)
- Rough-legged Hawk(Buteo lagopus)
- Ruby-crowned Kinglet(Regulus calendula)
- Ruddy Turnstone(Arenaria interpres)
- Rusty Blackbird(Euphagus carolinus)
- Sabine’s Gull(Xema sabini)
- Sandhill Crane Photo post(Grus canadensis)
- Savannah Sparrow(Passerculus sandwichensis)
- Say’s Phoebe(Sayornis saya)
- Semipalmated Plover(Charadrius semipalmatus)
- Sharp-shinned Hawk(Accipiter striatus)
- Short-billed Dowitcher(Limnodromus griseus)
- Short-eared Owl(Asio flammeus)
- Snow Bunting(Plectrophenax nivalis)
- Snowy Owl(Bubo scandiacus)
- Solitary Sandpiper(Tringa solitaria)
- Song Sparrow(Melospiza melodia)
- Spotted Sandpiper(Actitis macularius)
- Spruce Grouse(Falcipennis canadensis)
- Steller’s Eider(Polysticta stelleri)
- Surf Scoter(Melanitta perspicillata)
- Surfbird(Aphriza virgata)
- Swainson’s Thrush(Catharus ustulatus)
- Thick-billed Murre(Uria lomvia)
- Three-toed Woodpecker(Picoides tridactylus)
- Tree Swallow(Tachycineta bicolor)
- Tufted Puffin(Fratercula cirrhata)
- Tundra Swan(Cygnus columbianus)
- Varied Thrush(Ixoreus naevius)
- Violet-green Swallow(Tachycineta thalassina)
- Wandering Tattler(Tringa incana)
- Western Sandpiper(Calidris mauri)
- Whimbrel(Numenius phaeopus)
- White-crowned Sparrow(Zonotrichia leucophrys)
- White-tailed Ptarmigan(Lagopus leucura)
- White-winged Crossbill(Loxia leucoptera)
- White-winged Scoter(Melanitta fusca)
- Willow Ptarmigan(Lagopus lagopus)
- Wilson’s Snipe(Gallinago delicata)
- Wilson’s Warbler(Wilsonia pusilla)
- Yellow Warbler(Dendroica petechia)
- Yellow-rumped Warbler(Dendroica coronata)
No birds match.
Katmai National Park and Preserve Reptiles
0 species
NPSpecies currently lists no reptiles as present in this park.
Katmai National Park and Preserve Amphibians
1 species
- Wood Frog(Rana sylvatica)
No amphibians match.
Katmai National Park and Preserve Fish
31 species
- Alaska Blackfish(Dallia pectoralis)
- Arctic Char(Salvelinus alpinus)
- Arctic Grayling(Thymallus arcticus)
- Arctic Lamprey(Lethenteron japonicum)
- Burbot(Lota lota)
- Chinook Salmon(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha)
- Chum Salmon(Oncorhynchus keta)
- Coastrange Sculpin(Cottus aleuticus)
- Coho Salmon(Oncorhynchus kisutch)
- Dolly Varden(Salvelinus malma)
- Eulachon(Thaleichthys pacificus)
- Humpback Whitefish(Coregonus clupeaformis)
- Lake Trout(Salvelinus namaycush)
- Least Cisco(Coregonus sardinella)
- Longnose Sucker(Catostomus catostomus)
- Ninespine Stickleback(Pungitius pungitius)
- Northern Pike(Esox lucius)
- Pacific Herring(Clupea harengus pallasii)
- Pacific Sandfish(Trichodon trichodon)
- Pacific Staghorn Sculpin(Leptocottus armatus)
- Pink Salmon(Oncorhynchus gorbuscha)
- Pond Smelt(Hypomesus olidus)
- Pygmy Whitefish(Prosopium coulterii)
- Rainbow Trout(Oncorhynchus mykiss)
- Round Whitefish(Prosopium cylindraceum)
- Slimy Sculpin(Cottus cognatus)
- Sockeye Salmon(Oncorhynchus nerka)
- Starry Flounder(Platichthys stellatus)
- Surf Smelt(Hypomesus pretiosus)
- Threespine Stickleback(Gasterosteus aculeatus)
- Tubenose Poacher(Pallasina barbata)
No fish match.
Note: The wildlife species included in the lists above have been confirmed with the National Park Service to be present in Katmai National Park and Preserve. Other species may exist in the park that are currently under review or not yet known.
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