Animals and Plants
Animals
One of the exciting things about visiting your national forests is the opportunity to see wildlife. These animals are wild, so there are a few simple things that you need to remember to keep yourself, your property and the animals safe while you enjoy watching these critters in their natural habitat. Though some animals may appear friendly and tame, wildlife are unpredictable and even the cutest little squirrel can bite you. Some animals may carry disease such as the plague, rabies, or Lyme disease. NEVER feed animals! It’s
not good for them and can put you in harm’s way.
Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep
Beavers
You are more likely to see the signs of their work than the beavers themselves. Look for trees stumps, often in aspen groves and willows, chewed to the typical inverted V. The trees can range in size from a few inches to 12 inches in diameter and speak to the rodent’s persistence. Look for nearby pooled bodies of water and the dam can usually be found downstream.
Beaver dams can be found in numerous locations throughout the forest including along Bishop Creek, Rock Creek, and McGee Creek.
They have powerful jaw muscles and their teeth never stop growing. Their four front teeth (incisors) are self-sharpening with hard enamel on the front of the tooth. As beavers chew wood the softer backside of the tooth wears faster; creating a sharp cutting tool.
Another distinctive feature is their large flat tail, which serves as a rudder when swimming, a prop when sitting or standing upright, and a storehouse of fat for the winter. Beavers will also slap their tail on the surface of the water as a danger warning to other beavers.
Beavers are vegetarians and eat woody and aquatic vegetation including fresh leaves, twigs, stems, and bark. Their fur coats that have short fine hairs for warmth and longer hairs for waterproofing.
Beavers populations are significantly reduced (as high as 80% of historic populations) due to fur trapping or because they are often killed as a nuisance. Their dams may affect human developments (roads and structures) or alter water flow for people nearby. However, they are integral to maintaining a diversity of wetland habitats.
Plants
Bristlecone Pines
Standing as ancient sentinels high atop the White Mountains of the Inyo National Forest, the Great Basin bristlecone pines rank as the oldest trees in the world and have achieved immense scientific, cultural and scenic importance. These trees (Pinus longaeva) are found in the mountains of eastern California, scattered throughout the high mountain regions of Nevada and to a lesser extent, Utah. A cousin, the Rocky Mountain bristlecone pine (Pinus aristata), is located throughout the eastern Rocky Mountain region in Colorado and New Mexico. An isolated population of P. aristata is also located near Flagstaff, Arizona. A third member of the bristlecone pine family, the Sierra foxtail pine (Pinus balfouriana) is located in the southern Sierra range and in isolated groves in northern California.
Wildflowers
In the spring, Inyo National Forest is home to an astounding variety of wildflowers. From arid shrublands to conifer forests to mountain meadow, each plant community offers a different suite of colorful species for your enjoyment.
For a local guide, download the PDF, Wildflower Hot Spots of the Eastern Sierra, also available at visitor centers throughout the region.
What’s With All the Dead Trees?
Drought is a major factor which most likely contributed to the population explosion of mountain pine beetle. This outbreak is estimated to have started in 2005 and still appears to be active. Areas of Inyo National Forest, such as White Wing Mountain, June Mountain, Rock Creek-Hilton Lakes, and Gibbs Lake have been severely infested – some sites even losing up to 95% of overstory cover. Groups of up to 50 trees were found to be completely infested and dead. June Mountain appears the hardest hit, with beetle populations still moving east.