Wildlife Experiences and Conservancy in Yosemite Mariposa County

In late May, Yosemite’s National Park Service released 100 red-legged frogs in Yosemite Valley. This has been an ongoing project to reintroduce a native species to Yosemite and an ultimate comeback story for the endangered California red-legged frog. Visitors to Yosemite National Park and surrounding Mariposa County can experience wildlife and nature in abundance, thanks to stewardship and sustainability efforts by local communities and the National Park Service. From oak-studded foothills to 13,000-foot granite peaks, animals enjoy a pristine sweep of unmatched beauty where they feed and play freely.  

The California red-legged frog is a federally threatened species, and one of three endangered amphibians in the park. A species once totally depleted from Yosemite, these remarkable frogs are now thriving thanks to years of innovative science and collaborative work done by the National Park Service, funded by Yosemite Conservancy donors and other park partners. The Yosemite National Park aquatic wildlife branch has developed successful reintroduction methods (in collaboration with UC Santa Barbara and the San Francisco Zoo), making Yosemite the first place where this species and other endangered amphibians have been restored. The frog release event took place on 22 May, marking 10-year milestone in the restoration of this species. Part of the Yosemite Conservancy Stewardship Series, the event offered visitors a unique opportunity to learn from experts through a two-hour topic-focused program. Each session in the Yosemite Conservancy Stewardship Series highlights a different area of research, restoration, or stewardship, from meadow recovery and sequoia ecology to wildlife conservation and beyond.

Visitors to Yosemite National Park may catch a rare glimpse of the endangered Sierra Nevada bighorn sheep, following more than four decades of restoration efforts that have brought back the wilderness icon after its disappearance from the park within 25 years of its designation in 1890. Thanks to a Sierra Nevada Bighorn Sheep Recovery Program, which has been in place since the 1980s, with a breakthrough reintroduction to their ideal granite rock habitat at Cathedral Peak in 2015, there are now more than 600 bighorns. Many wear GPS-equipped collars that track populations and allow scientists to monitor the health of the herd, as well as avoid encounters with domestic sheep populations. 

Little Fires Everywhere is a new Yosemite Conservancy-supported initiative that partners with native tribal communities and the National Park Service to reintroduce cultural fire through small, prescribed burns across Yosemite. For thousands of years, indigenous communities cultivated a relationship between fire and land, creating little fires to protect, regenerate and prevent larger, uncontrolled wildfires. Cultural burning promoted biodiversity, resilience, and provided food, medicine, and materials for thriving communities. The Little Fires Everywhere program uses traditional ecological knowledge to improve ecosystem resilience, protect cultural resources, and help steward Yosemite’s landscapes for future generations. The Yosemite Conservancy Stewardship Series will host a dedicated Stewardship Series event around this project on 23 October 2026 in Yosemite Valley, with limited tickets available here ($25, national park entry fee also required for park entry).

The rare and fascinating Limestone Salamander is a species found only in a small part of California’s Sierra foothills. Along damp stretches of the Merced River Trail and canyon walls near Highway 140, these elusive amphibians emerge during cool, humid conditions. Unlike many animals, Limestone Salamanders breathe directly through their skin and must stay in moist environments to survive, making rainy spring days the perfect time for careful wildlife spotting. If you are lucky enough to see one, admire it from a distance and stick to photos only.

The Pacific Flyway is one of four routes in North America used by birds for their annual migrations, and Mariposa County is one of the most important stopovers on the flyway, streaming a constantly refreshing cast of migratory birds to view. The area is so hospitable to the United States bird population that the American Bird Conservancy has designated Yosemite a Globally Important Bird Area. The 410-acre Stockton Creek Preserve is a magnet for many bird species, the Oak Titmouse, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Mountain Raven, Northern Flicker, Hooded Merganser, American Coot and Wood Duck among them. In addition to the bird show, numerous amphibians and reptiles, including the Western Pond Turtle (the West Coast’s only native freshwater turtle) live here. This year a new art-inspired interpretive installation was introduced to the trail, designed by Californian naturalist and artist Obi Kauffman. Illustrations of animal, flora and fauna species can be found along the trail so that hikers can connect more deeply with nature. Visitors to Yosemite National Park can see a rotating cast of over 250 birds throughout the year. Regular species spotted in the Yosemite Sierra include the Steller’s Jay, Acorn Woodpecker, Common Raven, and Mountain Chickadee, Western Tanager, Great Gray Owl, Peregrine Falcon, and Northern Goshawk. 

The Mariposa Creek Parkway project, which is currently in progress after visions dating back to the 1980s, draws together critical community partners, including the Southern Sierra Miwuk Nation, Sierra Foothill Conservancy and local arts council. The project - that began in 2019 - will encourage locals and visitors to experience and connect with the restored riparian landscape of Mariposa Creek, while providing a space for cultural and public art installations and performances, recreation, and outdoor education. The restored parkway began construction this year and will provide a pedestrian and bicyclist corridor, wide enough for two-way traffic, a meadow trail and nature-inspired playground. By partnering with a local tribe, the project aims to reintroduce the traditional practices that were key to stewarding these landscapes for thousands of years, restoring them to the healthy, diverse state they were in before western communities moved into the area, including native plant restoration and managed burning practices.

For more information on Yosemite Mariposa County, visit www.yosemite.com.