Animals

NPS Photo

 

The wildlife of the Colorado Plateau desert have developed unique adaptations to the arid conditions of their environment and are a part of the rich diversity of life in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Rainbow Bridge National Monument. Wildlife in Glen Canyon is a reflection of the Colorado Plateau, changes in land use, and changes in the environment caused by the completion of Glen Canyon Dam in 1963 and subsequent filling of Lake Powell. In addition to playing vital roles in the desert ecosystem and animal communities, wildlife also provides recreational opportunities such as bird watching and fishing.

 

Find out more

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  Amphibians

  Despite living the aridity, these water loving creatures have found a home in the desert.

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  Birds

  Whether soaring over head or swimming in the water, birds can be found all around.

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  Fish

  Both native and non-native fish now swim through these waters.

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  Mammals

  From kangaroo mice to bighorn sheep, mammals large and small can be seen here.

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  Reptiles

  Learn more about these iconic desert critters.

 

Spotlight on these special critters

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  Eagles

  Learn about the two species of eagles found in the area.

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  Condors

  These large scavengers are a conservation success story.

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  Endangered Fish

  Native fish species currently facing decline. Photo: USFWS

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  Tamarisk Leaf Beetle

  The tamarisk leaf beetle comes to Glen Canyon NRA

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  Bats

  World's only flying mammal.

 

Search for official recognized species in Glen Canyon and Rainbow Bridge through the NPSpecies database.

 

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Species Attribute Definitions

Definitions

Occurrence

Occurrence values are defined below. One or more Occurrence Tags may be associated with each Occurrence value.

Present: Species occurs in park; current, reliable evidence available.

Probably Present: High confidence species occurs in park but current, verified evidence needed.

Unconfirmed: Species is attributed to park but evidence is weak or absent.

Not In Park: Species is not known to occur in park.

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Occurrence Tags

Adjacent: Species is known to occur in areas near to or contiguous with park boundaries.

False Report: Species was reported to occur within the park, but current evidence indicates the report was based on misidentification, a taxonomic concept no longer accepted, or other similar problem of error or interpretation.

Historical: Species' historical occurrence in park is documented. Assigned based on judgment as opposed to determination based on age of the most recent evidence.

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Abundance

Abundant:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, and counted in relatively large numbers.
• Plants: Large number of individuals; wide ecological amplitude or occurring in habitats covering a large portion of the park.

Common:

• Animals: May be seen daily, in suitable habitat and season, but not in large numbers.
• Plants: Large numbers of individuals predictably occurring in commonly encountered habitats but not those covering a large portion of the park.

Uncommon:

• Animals: Likely to be seen monthly in appropriate habitat and season. May be locally common.
• Plants: Few to moderate numbers of individuals; occurring either sporadically in commonly encountered habitats or in uncommon habitats.

Rare:

• Animals: Present, but usually seen only a few times each year.
• Plants: Few individuals, usually restricted to small areas of rare habitat.

Occasional:

• Animals: Occurs in the park at least once every few years, varying in numbers, but not necessarily every year.
• Plants: Abundance variable from year to year (e.g., desert plants).

Unknown: Abundance unknown

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Nativeness

Native: Species naturally occurs in park or region.

Non-native: Species occurs on park lands as a result of deliberate or accidental human activities.

Unknown: Nativeness status is unknown or ambiguous.

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List Differences

The Checklist contains only those species that are designated as "present" or "probably present" in the park.

The Full List includes all the checklist species in addition to species that are unconfirmed, historically detected, or incorrectly reported as being found in the park. The full list also contains species that are "in review" because their status in the park hasn't been fully determined. Additional details about the status of each species is included in the full list.

The checklist will almost always contain fewer species than the full list.

Select a Park:

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Rainbow Bridge National Monument

Select a Species Category (optional):

All Amphibians Birds Fish Mammals Reptiles Vascular Plants

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Species attribute definitions

Search results will be displayed here.

Visit NPSpecies for more comprehensive information and advanced search capability. Have a suggestion or comment on this list? Let us know.