Rocky Mountain mammal size comparisons 
In the NPS photo of a Yellowstone wildlife montage by Robert Hynes, and a drawing (not to the same scale) of a moose, elk and deer, you can see the difference in size of various mammals we may see on the Outdoor Club trips to Grand Teton national park.
The elk (5 foot tall) compares in size to a horse.
Moose are 6.5 to 7.5 feet tall, with antlers that spread 4 to 5 feet (record 6'9").
NPS photo of moose in comparison to a SUV:
Mountain goats black horns are much smaller than bighorn sheep:
 
The coyote (25 inches tall, large ones up to 55 pounds) compares in size to a large family dog. We've read that Rocky Mountain coyotes are bigger than the ones we frequently see in Yosemite on our winter trips.
A wolf, up to 35" tall, is much bigger than a coyote or family dog, but it can be hard to tell at a distance, which is where you will most likely see one if at all.
Wolves can be coal black, creamy white and everything (gray, tan) in between. Coyotes are gray, tawny, buffy or reddish gray.
Below a NPS drawing showing the size comparison of a wolf, coyote and a fox, from the handbook at:
http://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/yellowstone-resources-and-issues-handbook.htm
The coyote holds his tail between his legs when running.
Wolves and coyotes both sing long howls, but the wolf does not add yips/yaps.
To print a wolf coyote comparison go to:
http://www.nps.gov/grte/parkmgmt/guideres.htm
and click on wolf versus coyote comparison
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From a distance it can be hard to tell which small animal you see swimming. But each swims differently. River otters undulate through the water. When a beaver swims, only his head shows above the water; muskrats show both their head and part of their back.
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The main differences between a grizzly and a black bear are:
Photos below of a black bear, grizzly and grizzly cubs are courtesy of NPS:
 
grizzlies have a dished, or concave face; black bears have a straight facial profile
grizzlies have a large hump of muscle for digging and running above the shoulders
grizzlies are bigger (males 300-700 pounds, black bears 210-315 pounds)
coloration in both is so variable, that especially from a distance, it isn't a good way to tell them apart. (Black bears are not just black in color, they can be brown, cinnamon or blond.)
black bears are more likely to stalk a human than grizzlies, although this is quite rare
both can climb trees
both are true hibernators, but sometimes awake during winter and leave their dens
both have occasionally become too used to humans and/or human food and have had to be destroyed
See also: animal sign comparisonsgrizzly:
Grand Tetons trip pages index
your safety in grizzly bear territory tells you what to do if
you see a bear in the distance or a bear charges you and has info about Bear Pepper Sprays and what might happen before a bison charges.
Grand Tetons biking has details about rare fatal encounters between bike riders and grizzleys.
This NPS historic photo collection shows people much too close to an elk:
For more actual incidents of injuries from animals, usually caused by approaching them too closely, go to: fatal, near fatal or close call incidents/accidents in camping, backpacking, climbing and mountaineering
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