Bison (Bison bison) Yakama Name: Tsułɨm In 1991, the tribe purchased 12 buffalo from a tribal member. The original investment was to supply the tribes Cultural Heritage Center Restaurant and serve buffalo as a menu item. At this time the buffalo were under the management of the restaurant then in 1995, management of the buffalo […]

Black Bears (Ursus americanus) Yakama Name: Anahúy Black Bears can range anywhere from 100 pounds to 300 pounds and can come in a variety of colors including blonde, cinnamon and brown. The population of Black Bears within the Yakama Nation Reservation are high. Black Bears go into a torpor (temporary hibernation) throughout the winter to […]

Cougars (Puma concolor) Yakama Name: Kw’ayawí Cougars are an elusive and solitary animal with few studies done so far by Yakama Nation Wildlife Management Program. Females can range from 60-140 pounds whereas males can range anywhere from 120-220 pounds. Being an apex predator, these cats help regulate ungulate populations and stop over grazing from occurring. 

Black-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) Yakama Name: Yáamash Through 1988-1995, 490 Black-tailed deer were captured and marked in the Klickitat River Basin (KBR), 69 of those deer being radio-collared. The purpose of this project was to show migration routes and to monitor population numbers as this species is an essential animal for the Yakama tribe. […]

Mountain Goats (Oreamnons americanus) Yakama Name: Wáaw In September of 2018 an aerial survey was conducted for a Mountain Goat population count. Within the Yakama Nation Reservation, 164 goats were located. Mountain Goats have been impacted greatly by large fires, logging, and major interstates that continue to decrease the gene pool for the herds throughout […]

Bighorn Sheep (Ovis canadensis) Yakama Name: Tnún In 2005, 48 Bighorn Sheep were released onto the Dry Creek and Loggy Creek sites within the closed area of the Yakama Reservation. With the current concern of domestic sheep spreading diseases to the Bighorn Sheep, populations have been monitored regularly. Observation from the 2020 population count, 44 […]

Elk (Cervus canadensis) Yakama Name: Wawyúkya Through the years 1992-1999, 81 elk were radio-collared in order to determine if the summer and wintering range differed between males and females, whether or not highly traveled roads put stress on populations, and to decipher migration routes. Cow Elk & her calf

Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) Yakama Name: Chatwilí In January of 2011, 99 Pronghorn were captured in Elko Nevada and released on the south eastern portion of the Yakama Reservation. Within these 99 Pronghorn, 19 were radio-collared in order to identify the best habitat connectivity, travel patterns between summer and wintering ranges, and to track female reproduction […]