Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
🇨🇦 Canada
🐋 Gray Whales Pass the Surf CoastPacific Rim National Park Reserve is on the west coast of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, part of the Pacific Northwest. It is a temperate conifer forest hugging a rugged shoreline, with moss‑laden old growth, sandy beaches, and tide‑pools.
48.815° N 125.149° W
Wildlife
⭐ Iconic Species
★ 
American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
★ 
Gray Whale
Eschrichtius robustus
★ 
Bald Eagle
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
★ 
Sea Otter
Enhydra lutris
📊 Most Spotted
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Glaucous-winged Gull
Larus glaucescens
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Pacific Wren
Troglodytes pacificus
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Regulus satrapa
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
Steller's Jay
Cyanocitta stelleri
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Poecile rufescens
Mule Deer
Odocoileus hemionus
Black Oystercatcher
Haematopus bachmani
Western Red-backed Salamander
Plethodon vehiculum
⭐ Iconic Species
★ American Black Bear
Ursus americanus
★ Gray Whale
Eschrichtius robustus
★ Sea Otter
Enhydra lutris
📊 Most Spotted
Mule Deer
Odocoileus hemionus
Harbor Seal
Phoca vitulina
American Red Squirrel
Tamiasciurus hudsonicus
Northern Sea Lion
Eumetopias jubatus
California Sea Lion
Zalophus californianus
Northern River Otter
Lontra canadensis
Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Elk (wapiti)
Cervus canadensis
Gray Wolf
Canis lupus
Killer Whale
Orcinus orca
Common Raccoon
Procyon lotor
American Beaver
Castor canadensis
⭐ Iconic Species
📊 Most Spotted
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Glaucous-winged Gull
Larus glaucescens
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Pacific Wren
Troglodytes pacificus
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Regulus satrapa
Song Sparrow
Melospiza melodia
Steller's Jay
Cyanocitta stelleri
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Poecile rufescens
Black Oystercatcher
Haematopus bachmani
Surf Scoter
Melanitta perspicillata
California Gull
Larus californicus
📊 Most Spotted
Common Garter Snake
Thamnophis sirtalis
Northwestern Garter Snake
Thamnophis ordinoides
Western Terrestrial Garter Snake
Thamnophis elegans
Common Wall Lizard
Podarcis muralis
Green Sea Turtle
Chelonia mydas
Northern Alligator Lizard
Elgaria coerulea
📊 Most Spotted
Western Red-backed Salamander
Plethodon vehiculum
Northern Red-legged Frog
Rana aurora
Pacific chorus frog
Pseudacris regilla
Western Toad
Anaxyrus boreas
Rough-skinned Newt
Taricha granulosa
Northwestern Salamander
Ambystoma gracile
Wandering Salamander
Aneides vagrans
Ensatina
Ensatina eschscholtzii
Recent sightings in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve
LIVEiNaturalistAnimal Events
1Gray Whale Spring Migration
~20,000 gray whales pass close to shore on their Baja-to-Arctic migration each spring
2Black Bears on the Shoreline
Black bears emerge to forage the intertidal zone at low tide, turning over rocks for crabs and shellfish along the park's beaches and inlets.
3Shorebird Migration Stopover
Pacific Rim's beaches and mudflats are a critical Pacific Flyway stopover: western sandpipers and other shorebirds throng the shore in spring and again southbound in late summer, peaking in .
Sighting Calendar
Average chance of spotting the park's most-spotted species, month by month
- 1Gray Whale Spring Migration
- 2Black Bears on the Shoreline
- 3Shorebird Migration Stopover
Sighting Zones
Warmer areas are where all species together are recorded most often.
Essentials
Climate
What visitors saw
Quick answers
What animals can you see in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve?
The most likely sightings are American Crow (seen by about 80% of wildlife watchers), Glaucous-winged Gull (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), American Robin (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), Bald Eagle (seen by about 70% of wildlife watchers), American Black Bear (seen by about 60% of wildlife watchers) — among 492 recorded vertebrate species, based on citizen-science data from GBIF.
When is the best time to visit Pacific Rim National Park Reserve for wildlife?
September has the highest combined sighting rate for the park's top species in our month-by-month GBIF data. The full sighting calendar on this page shows each species' best months.
Can you see American Black Bear in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve?
Yes — about 60% of wildlife watchers report a American Black Bear sighting in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, based on 469 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Gray Whale in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve?
Yes — about 20% of wildlife watchers report a Gray Whale sighting in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, based on 51 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Bald Eagle in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve?
Yes — about 70% of wildlife watchers report a Bald Eagle sighting in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, based on 3,949 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Can you see Sea Otter in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve?
Yes — about 30% of wildlife watchers report a Sea Otter sighting in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, based on 113 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
Where Wildlife Score
How good is this park for seeing wildlife?Biodiversity
GoodHow rich is the wildlife?
Sighting
Very goodHow likely to see animals?
Experience
GoodHow easy and pleasant is the visit?
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