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Colorado Wildlife

Colorado wildlife is not hard to find. In fact, it is almost impossible to avoid - elk on lawns, deer in parks, Canada geese flying overhead. Take a trip into the mountains and you could easily spot a dozen species in a day.



Birds:
The lark bunting is the Colorado State Bird, although I've never actually seen one!

lark bunting Colorado state bird
Lark Bunting
Copyright Patrick Beauzay


If you're really lucky you might see a bald eagle, or a great horned owl. We also have wild turkeys, great blue herons, hawks, and more common birds like robins and finches.

Mammals:
While you're in the mountains you might see white-tailed deer, elk, or moose. Both white-tailed and mule deer are quite common all over the state. Elk are so abundant in Rocky Mountain National Park that they often wander around the streets in neighboring Estes Park. You could very possibly see a moose, though they are less plentiful than deer or elk.

moose Some Colorado wildlife are potentially dangerous. The risk of being attacked is low, but if you are hiking in the wilderness it is wise to know how to react to an encounter.

If you run into a black bear (I didn't mean that literally!) back away from it, but never turn your back.

Walk slowly (yes, you will want to run, but don't!) downwind from the bear, while facing it. You can also raise your arms above your head to make you look bigger. You can also make noise to scare the bear away.

If there are other people with you, you should all group together so you will look more intimidating.

What if you see a mountain lion? Yikes!!

Whatever you do don't panic. mountain lion
Back away from it, keeping eye contact. Remain standing, don't bend over, because mountain lions attack your head or neck first, and bending over just makes it easier. As with the bears, don't turn your back on it.

You can throw rocks or sticks at the lion to scare it away. If it does attack, try to fight it off with a stick or other object.

Tips to Avoid Mountain Lion Attacks:

  • Don't provoke it
  • Keep your kids close to you at all times, don't let them run ahead. If they do, a mountain lion can attack while you're still far behind.
  • Never, ever hike alone. Most people who are attacked are hiking alone.
  • Do whatever you can to make yourself look bigger.
  • Do not bring your dog on a hike in mountain lion territory. Dogs actually attract mountain lions, rather than scaring them away. So play it safe and leave Fido home.

  • If you're really lucky you might see some of these Colorado animals: a raccoon, a badger, or a beaver.

    On the other hand, you don't want to cross paths with a skunk! Phheeaawww!!
    Skunks are more likely to spray when provoked, so if you see one, get away from it...fast! What should you do if a skunk sprays you?If you do get sprayed, mix hydrogen peroxide with dish soap and baking soda, and wash...and wash...and wash!!
    Sometimes you can see a bighorn sheep in the mountains. It's fun to watch them climb nimbly on the rocks.

    The bighorn sheep is the Colorado state animal, and it is featured in the logo for the Colorado Division of Wildlife.

    bighorn sheep
    Bighorn Sheep
    Copyright Alan D. Wilson
    Creative Commons Attribution 3.0


    Some Colorado wildlife is very elusive. Pikas and yellow-bellied marmots live at very high altitudes like Pikes Peak and Mount Evans, but they hide in crevices between the rocks, making them hard to see.

    yellow bellied marmot Porcupines live here too, although I have never seen them in the wild.

    Prairie dogs, 13 striped gophers, and chipmunks are common in the mountains and the city.

    Sometimes you will be driving down a busy street and see an undeveloped field full of prairie dog burrows! Chipmunks, gophers, squirrels, foxes, and coyotes are just some of the Colorado wildlife that roams the parks and wooded areas within city limits..
    foxes are fairly common, even in the suburbs.

    red fox
    River otters also live in Colorado. Maybe you can see one along the Colorado River or the South Platte.

    River otters like to slide along the muddy riverbanks, and glide through the water. The otters are mainly nocturnal, but sometimes they come out in the daytime.

    Of the twenty-five snake species in Colorado, only two are venomous - the western rattlesnake and the massasauga rattlesnake. The massasauga is found only inn the southeastern grasslands. If you come across a rattlesnake, back away slowly.

    river otters
    Copyright Dmitri Azovtsev
    Creative Commons Attribution 2.5


    Oh, and be sure to bring your camera. It's easy to get great photos of Colorado wildlife.

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