Jasper National Park was established in 1907 and is one of Canada’s oldest and largest national parks. Once seen as an island of civilization in a vast wilderness, in modern times it has become a popular getaway from urban life, and a special place to reconnect with nature. For most visitors (myself included!) a trip to Jasper is about seeing wildlife. While the last 200 years have seen a dramatic decline in wildlife in most parts of North America, healthy populations of plants and animals have persisted inside the park. The Canadian Rockies are known to support 20,000 types of insects and spiders, 16 species of amphibians and reptiles, 277 species of birds and 69 different species of mammals, including elk, deer, moose, caribou, bighorn sheep, mountain goats, bears, coyotes, wolves, beavers, pine martens, cougars, and wolverines.