Biologists estimate that 1,500 American Black Bears live in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Gary Carter Photo. Great Smoky Mountains National Park contains some of the largest tracts of wilderness in the East and is a critical sanctuary for a wide variety of animals. Protected in the park are some 65 species of mammals, over 200 varieties of birds, 67 native fish species, and more than 80 types of reptiles and amphibians.