The word for the US state of Utah comes from the word Ute which means “people of the mountains” in an indigenous language. The state is comprised of three main geographical regions – the Rocky Mountains stretching through the northeast border near Idaho and Wyoming, the Great Basin along the border with Nevada and Arizona, and the Colorado Plateau near the eastern border with Colorado. To the north is the Great Salt Lake which is the largest saltwater lake in the entire Western Hemisphere.The Official State Animal Rocky Mountain Elk
The Official State Bird California Gull
The Official State Insect Honeybee
The Official State Fish Bonneville cutthroat trout
Some of the most interesting wildlife can be found in Utah’s five national parks:
Zion National Park is home to cougars, bobcats, badgers, bighorn sheep, ring-tailed cats, rodents, and deer. There is a successful breeding program for one of the rarest birds in the country, the condor.Antelope Island State Park is near Salt Lake City and is the largest island in the Great Salt Lake. It is home to pronghorn antelope and is known for its heard of bison. Other animals making their home here are bobcats, mule deer, coyotes, wild sheep, and migratory birds.The Great Salt Lake is the destination for many migratory birds and waterfowl among them stilts, plovers, gulls, sandpipers, ducks, and geese.The Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area lies on the border between Utah and Wyoming. It is popular with fishermen for trout, salmon, bass, and burbot. Animals living here include cougars, eagles, elk, moose, bears, and antelopes.The Red Fleet Stake Park to the south of the Uinta Mountains, a sub-range of the Rocky Mountains had red slick rock formations and a fossil track of dinosaur footprints, The animals living here include hawks, golden eagles, vultures, ospreys, owls, bobcats, coyotes, and deer.The Dixie National Forest in south-central Utah is the largest national forest in the state. There are pinyon and pine forests and sparse desert-type plants. Animals making their home here are cougars, bobcats, antelopes, prairie dogs, eagles, and turkeys.
Endangered Species in Utah
Prairie dogs are endangered due to loss of suitable prairie habitat and poisoning by farmers for eating crops and digging holes, Only about 1000 members of this species remain in the wild.The black-footed ferret is a nocturnal animal from the weasel family. There is a black mask around its eyes and feet. It is threatened by the decline of its main food source prairie dogs and the fur trade.The Gray Wolf is one of the rarest animals in the state.The Canadian Lynx is a medium-sized feline with long ear tufts, dense fur, and big padded feet, It is very rare in Utah.California Condor is one of the largest and rarest birds in North America. Endangered due to habitat destruction, poisoning, and poaching. They are surviving in southwestern Utah due to strong conservation efforts.Southwestern Willow Flycatcher a small migratory bird with a green body. Endangered due to habitat loss and a decline of its native nesting trees. Only a few hundred breeding pairs remain in the wild.Mexican Spotted Owl with white spots on its body. Threatened by habitat loss due to the logging industry.
Desert Tortoise native to the arid Mohave Desert in southwestern Utah. Diminishing in number due to human activity and disease.
Greenback Cutthroat Trout with a red throat and a green back. Threatened due to overfishing, water diversion and toxic pollution.
Kanab Ambersnail is threatened by habitat loss and limited populations.
Animals are Wonderful 