Animal life was one of the many things
that Lewis and Clark studied on their journey into the wilderness. They were amazed
and dazzled by the number and variety of animals they saw. Many were animals they
had never seen before, and that scientists had never heard of. Their adventure was
one of the greatest camping trips of all time!
Lewis and Clark each kept a diary, and so did some of the other men. In their diaries, they made notes and sometimes drawings of what they saw. Grizzly bears, bighorn sheep, prairie dogs, magpies, jackrabbits, pronghorns--these are just a few of animals they had never seen before. Lewis's drawings and notes were the first scientific observations and reports on many North American animals (and plants).
When they reached the Great Plains, they found animal life in unbelievable numbers. They saw herds of elk everywhere, and deer and buffalo could be seen in every direction. Prairie dogs, squirrels, wild turkeys, pronghorns, and many other creatures dotted the landscape. The prairie grasses grew as high as six feet tall! It was a natural paradise that no Americans had ever before seen, and which gradually disappeared as settlers moved onto the land.
On the following pages are pictures of many (but not all) of the animals seen by the explorers. To visit an animal, just click on the name.
| Antelope | Cougar | Elk | Rattlesnake |
| Beaver | Coyote | Grizzly bear | Salmon |
| Bighorn sheep | Deer | Mountain goat | Whale |
| Buffalo | Eagle | Prairie dog | Wolf |
Credits: Animal pictures were supplied by Corel GALLERYTM 1,000,000.
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The Idaho
Compass
Copyright © 2004
by
Katherine A. Young and Virgil M. Young
Producers, Designers, Writers, and Websters
in cooperation with Boise State University