Living handily off the mountain vegetation, the burros have had a population explosion, resulting in a live capture program conducted by the Park Service. The largest native animal is the bighorn sheep, which roam at various levels on the mountain slopes, depending on the time of year. Other animals to be found above the valley floor include deer, bobcat, kit fox and mountain lion. Down on the dunes is an amazing aggregation of small game, including rabbits, various rodents and lizards. The animals and birds were hunted by Indians for hundreds of years.
Rodents are very numerous.
A few pests should be considered for avoidance. The scorpion in particular is common on the valley floor, hiding under rocks and on damp ground. This 4-mile round trip hike leads across the central sand dunes from the parking area, 2.2 miles east of Stovepipe Wells. It's best to do this in the early morning or late afternoon. The area is also open for moonlit hiking.