Fauna

• 52 species of mammals, 18 species of amphibians and reptiles, 49 species of fish and more than 170 species of birds make seasonal or year-round homes in Itasca’s pristine habitats.
• Some familiar species include loons, herons, owls, eagles, ospreys, pileated woodpeckers, beavers, coyotes, porcupines and foxes.
• Trappers nearly eliminated Itasca’s beaver population by 1901. Minnesota governor John Lind had four beaver shipped from Canada to repopulate Itasca. By 1921, nearly 1,000 beaver lived in the park. They continue to thrive today.
• Itasca’s old-growth forests support the pileated woodpecker. This woodpecker, the largest in North America, feeds on ants that live in old-growth trees where the woodpeckers make their nests.
• The mink frog is another unusual Itasca species. It makes a distinctive low-pitched TONK-tonk-tonk sound and, when handled, gives off a musky onion smell as a defense against predators.