Wildlife - header
Andrey Zharkikh

wildlife - beavers

wildlife - beavers
Steve Hersey

Bringing beavers back

Beavers, whose dams help slow the flow of water, are master engineers that change the way water flows in our forests. Their dams raise creek beds, reduce the force of flash floods, and create habitat for fish and other wildlife. We’re helping bring beavers back to their historic habitat in Utah. Watch our 13-minute video “Beaver: Back to the Future,” and read an interview with the filmmaker ›

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Denise Ayers-Mondragon

Wildlife - pronghorn

Modifying fences for pronghorn

Topping out at 55 miles per hour, pronghorn are some of the fastest animals in the world. Yet despite their powerful, lean legs, they can’t jump.

Wildlife - pronghorn (part 2)

Fences stop pronghorn in their tracks — a serious problem in a landscape crisscrossed with barbed-wire cattle fences. Rather than hop over fences, the animals will try to squeeze underneath. But wires are typically strung too low, scraping pronghorns’ backs and leaving them susceptible to infection and disease.

We work in strategic locations where pronghorn return year after year to replace the bottom wire with a smooth one and raise it to 18 inches off the ground — enough space for pronghorn to pass through. Since 2011, Grand Canyon Trust volunteers have made over 13 miles of fences in House Rock Valley wildlife-friendly. See how we do it ›

wildlife - biocrust

wildlife - biocrust

Biological soil crusts

To the untrained eye, biological soil crust looks like nature’s version of a lumpy rash. But in function and form, it’s actually quite beautiful. The living skin is made of lichen, moss, and cyanobacteria. It protects soil from erosion and absorbs water. We work with volunteers to measure biocrusts in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and make the case to monument managers of the need to protect this important resource. 

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Andrey Zharkikh

wildlife - bees

Honeybees: not so sweet for our national forests

Southern Utah is home to hundreds of species of native bees, which play a crucial role in pollinating native plants. The Forest Service is considering allowing a private beekeeper to put non-native honeybees on Dixie, Fishlake, Manti-La Sal, and Unita-Wasatch-Cache national forests in Utah. Find out why this is a bad idea ›

Wildlife Movement - animal pathways

Animal pathways on the North Rim

Animals tend to use the same routes to reach water, food, and mates. Researchers studying wildlife movement on the North Rim Ranches predicted the locations of these "animal highways." But actual wildlife sightings can be few and far between in such vast landscapes. Rather than twiddle our thumbs and wait for animals to walk by, we're using motion-activated cameras to help scientists study wildlife movement on the North Rim Ranches. Volunteers help us replace batteries, pull memory cards, and sift through thousands of photos.

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wildlife - north rim ranches

Caught on camera

We're studying wildlife movement on the North Rim Ranches. Check out some candids of the cute creatures roaming around our forest and desert lands. 

Volunteer - CTA (join us in the field)

Join us in the field.

ON THE BLOG

03/13/24

The new Grand Canyon national monument allows traditional uses like hunting and ranching to continue.

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03/5/24

Beneath the bathtub ring at Lake Powell, native plants are flourishing, cultural sites are resurfacing, and whitewater rapids are returning.

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02/27/24

A pair of lawsuits signals a political attack on the popular new Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni National Monument.

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