The largest of the two, and the largest Canadian cat, is the mountain lion or cougar. Although rarely seen, signs indicate that there is a small in the park. The other member of the cat family that resides in Jasper National Park is the lynx. It too is nocturnal and rarely seen, and there are no estimates of population size at this point. Both of these bears are scavengers and are omnivorous in diet, meaning that they eat both plant and animal material.
Plants form the mainstay of their diet.
The black bear is commonly seen in forested areas, along roadsides and in campgrounds. It is smaller than the grizzly, lacks a hump on its shoulders, and has a straight facial profile. Colour varies from black to cinnamon and white patches on the chests are common. They have short curved claws and are agile tree climbers. Carrion and insects make up about 22 per cent and mammals are a mere one per cent.