Tundra is characteristically composed of grasses, sedges, herbs, and a few dwarfed shrubs. Many lichens and mosses also grow in tundra. The plants are typically small, low-growing, and compact, and often have showy flowers. There seems to be an abundance of blossoms in proportion to the size and amount of foliage of the plants. Their small leaves are protected from excessive water loss by masses of hairs or waxy substances, and they frequently contain high amounts of red pigment. Most of these plants are exceedingly slow-growing; some of those you see may be a hundred to several thousand years old. The story of the park’s trees and flowers is intensely interesting, but can best be understood by more careful study than is possible in this booklet. Several excellent botanical bulletins are available, and we urge you to invest in one of them. ANIMAL LIFE A National Park is a spacious natural reserve, and in it those creatures that have survived through the past are protected from harm by humans. They are not protected from each other, there being no attempt to change natural relationships of predator and prey. Since the animals are in their natural habitats, and not in cages, you may not be able to see at close range the kinds of animals you may want to see at any time you like. Instead, you must expect to see them at their convenience, not yours. This requires careful, patient watching, but the rewards are great for the observant outdoorsman. An occasional glimpse of a bull elk grazing free in his native meadow may be more satisfying than the most detailed inspection of a confined creature in a zoological garden. Our society needs both types of experiences. Although there are about 35 species of mammals in the park, this booklet can present brief descriptions of only a few of those likely to be of greatest interest. [Illustration: Treeline is at about 11,500 feet altitude near Trail Ridge Road.] Hoofed Mammals The largest mammal of Rocky Mountain National Park is the AMERICAN ELK, or “wapiti.” It is really a big deer—distinctly larger than the local mule deer and usually with a more reddish or brownish coat. The true American representative of the Old World elks is the moose, not found in Rocky Mountain National Park. American elk were almost exterminated here by ruthless hunting in prepark days. Seventy animals introduced here in 1913 and 1914 from Yellowstone National Park made possible the present population of over 600 elk in this park.