Desert Wildlife

Let's go back a few years!

 

During the summers of 2008 and 2009, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to work at Snow Canyon State Park, a gorgeous protected area about 10 miles northwest of St. George, Utah, and part of the Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. The Park, although small, provides some of the most picturesque, easily accessible scenery in southern Utah. I’ve always considered it to be a “mini-Zion" as far as the level of beauty, however the rock formations are unique to themselves. The south end of the Park is primarily red Navajo sandstone, with towering walls that are popular for rock climbing. As you drive north, the rock color changes to primarily white Navajo sandstone, with some red streaks creating a painted effect.

In addition to scenery enjoyed by humans, Snow Canyon also offers critical habitat for many different species of reptiles, amphibians, mammals, and birds. While working in the Park, I never let my camera too far away from my side. You never know what exactly what you might stumble upon in the desert (hopefully not literally!).

I found the reptiles at Snow Canyon to be the most fascinating. While some species of reptiles are very common, I was lucky enough to spot and photograph some of the lesser-viewed species as well. I guess more than once, I was at the right place at the right time!

One of my best wildlife observations to date was this chuckwalla. At first, it was completely hidden the the shadowy crack in this boulder. After performing some work duties and coming back 20 minutes later, its head had emerged to absorb some sun. It barely even moved as I approached it for some photos!

First hiding in the crack:

Then coming out for a peak:

One of the primary reasons for the creation of the Red Cliffs Reserve is to protect the desert tortoise, which is currently a federally threatened species. Over the years, I've seen a few tortoises in the wild, but I think I've been luckier than most. While working at Snow Canyon, I had visitors tell me that they have lived in the St. George area their whole life, visit the Reserve frequently, and have never seen a tortoise. Some people seemed almost skeptical about the mere existence of the tortoise, as if it was some kind of made-up, mythical creature.

 

The tortoise has sparked some controversy in southern Utah throughout the years, and the creation of the Red Cliffs Reserve was opposed by many people who thought the economic benefits of developing the land would be far greater than "locking it up" by creating a reserve.

 

Even if you don't appreciate what a creature like the tortoise might symbolize, getting to observe them in the wild is a truly unique experience that I believe anyone can enjoy.

 

Here are a few tortoise pics from my time working at Snow Canyon:

This next one is a baby tortoise (it's hard to get a good perspective, but this little one was barely 3 inches long!)

When most people think of the desert, one of the first things that comes to mind is snakes! It seems like there is no other creature that is as unnecessarily hated. In Southern Utah, we have many different snakes, and the only poisonous ones are the rattlesnakes (of which there are four different species and many subspecies). However, that only makes up a small percentage of the snakes that you're likely to see. If you're in the Western United States, chances are, if you see a snake that doesn't have a rattle, it's not poisonous! (The only exception would be the coral snake. Do your homework!)

 

Even rattlesnakes aren't "out to get you", as some people seem to think. Most of the time, if you don't mess with them, they won't mess with you!

 

Here are some snake photos from Snow Canyon. Almost all of the snakes I saw are harmless. I saw one rattlesnake during the two summers I worked at the Park, but I was unable to photograph it.

 

Gopher snake:

California kingsnake:

I'll finish this off the same way I started: with lizards!

 

Check out the camouflage of this desert horned lizard. Pink on pink. Their camouflage is a necessity when avoiding predators since they aren't known to be the fastest of lizards.

This next one is a desert spiny lizard, one of the most common lizards in the area. I thought the vibrant yellow, red, and black scales on this one were really cool.

Next, we have the long-nosed leopard lizard. This is another lizard that is impressive in both size and overall appearance. The most striking features are the incredibly long tail and its dark, leopard-like spots (hence the name). If you're lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the lizard in direct sunlight, you may also see some gorgeous, bright red spots. Awesome!

Last, but not least, is the elusive gila monster. One of only two poisonous lizards in the world, the gila monster is the largest lizard found in the United States. This next picture comes with a story. While I was working at Snow Canyon, I remember leaving for work one day, running a little late. After making it halfway down my street, I realized that I forgot my camera. Oh well, I didn't want to risk being later than I already was. The chances of me seeing anything really interesting on any given day weren't great.

 

I arrived at work, and found out that I was working in the Paradise Canyon area of the Park, where I hiked the trails and documented contacts with visitors. It was a cloudy, cool April day. Not too many people were around, and there wasn't much sign of wildlife, either. Instead of making the full loop that the trail offers, I decided to retrace my steps at a certain point. As I made my way back to the trailhead, I glanced up ahead, and about 30 feet in front of me, I noticed a large lizard lumbering steadily across the trail. Wow! It looked like one, but could it really be? As I got closer, there was no doubt. It was a gila monster. Few creatures are as rarely observed in the mojave desert, mostly due to the fact that they spend the majority of their lives underground. This could be the only time I ever see one in the wild, and I didn't have my camera! Still, I had my camera phone, so I took it out and snapped a few shots with it. (Keep in mind, this was 2009. The quality of most camera phones back then was lacking - mine included). Still, I'm surprised that the photo came out as well as it did. I just wish it was closer!

It also surprised me that the gila monster seemed completely oblivious to my presence. It appeared to be searching for food. I got fairly close, and it seemed like it couldn't care less. Although I didn't have my "real" camera, the experience alone was more than worth it. Maybe I'll get lucky and see one again some day. Maybe.