Places National ParksMammoth Cave

Wildlife in Mammoth Cave National Park

Here’s what naturalists are spotting in Mammoth Cave right now - pulled live from recent research-grade observations. Browse by group, explore the map, and identify what you find with Huck.

4,186
recent observations
30
species listed
23
plants
3
insects & arthropods
2
mammals

Naturalists have logged 4,186 research-grade observations across the 30 most-recorded species in Mammoth Cave. The most frequently seen is the White-tailed Deer, with 241 recorded sightings.

Plants account for the largest share of what gets recorded there (23 of the species listed here), followed by insects & arthropods (3).

🖨️ Printable wildlife checklist

Most-observed species in Mammoth Cave

White-tailed Deer
Odocoileus virginianus
241 observations
woodland stonecrop
Sedum ternatum
227 observations
Christmas fern
Polystichum acrostichoides
210 observations
Mammoth Cave Cricket
Hadenoecus subterraneus
190 observations · iNaturalist
Virginia saxifrage
Micranthes virginiensis
187 observations · iNaturalist
northern maidenhair fern
Adiantum pedatum
175 observations
fire pink
Silene virginica
161 observations
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail
Papilio glaucus
160 observations
Celandine Poppy
Chelidonium diphyllum
154 observations · iNaturalist
blue phlox
Phlox divaricata
152 observations
Wild Turkey
Meleagris gallopavo
147 observations
toadshade
Trillium sessile
147 observations
dwarf larkspur
Delphinium tricorne
144 observations · iNaturalist
cut-leaved toothwort
Cardamine concatenata
143 observations
Virginia Springbeauty
Claytonia virginica
128 observations
crane-fly orchid
Tipularia discolor
123 observations · iNaturalist
American tuliptree
Liriodendron tulipifera
121 observations
Eastern Gray Squirrel
Sciurus carolinensis
114 observations
wild geranium
Geranium maculatum
113 observations
mayapple
Podophyllum peltatum
112 observations
common pawpaw
Asimina triloba
112 observations
Fowler's Toad
Anaxyrus fowleri
109 observations
cross vine
Bignonia capreolata
109 observations · iNaturalist
Pipevine Swallowtail
Battus philenor
108 observations
rue anemone
Thalictrum thalictroides
107 observations
American beech
Fagus grandifolia
105 observations
dwarf crested iris
Iris cristata
102 observations
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
Arisaema triphyllum
97 observations
drooping trillium
Trillium flexipes
96 observations
lyreleaf sage
Salvia lyrata
92 observations

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