It's a rare visitor to Zion who doesn't spot a critter of some sort, from mule deer -- often observed along roadways and in campgrounds year-round -- to the numerous varieties of lizards seen from spring through fall, including the park's largest lizard, the chuckwalla, which can grow to 20 inches long. There has been an increasing number of sightings of desert bighorn sheep and even an occasional mountain lion along Utah 9 (the Zion-Mt. Carmel Hwy.) on the east side of the park. Along the Virgin River, you'll see bank beaver, so named because they live in burrows dug into riverbanks instead of dams.
If you're interested in spotting birds, you're in luck at Zion. The peregrine falcon, among the world's fastest birds, is sometimes seen along the Angels Landing and Cable Mountain trails and in the area of the Great White Throne. It sometimes nests in the Weeping Rock area, where you're also likely to see the American dipper, canyon wren, and white-throated swift. Bald eagles sometimes winter in the park, and you might also see golden eagles. Red-tailed hawks are fairly common, and you've got a very good chance of seeing great blue herons, American kestrels, Gambel's quail, mourning doves, great horned owls, western kingbirds, common ravens, piñon jays, Steller's jays, yellow-rumped warblers, wild turkeys, and American robins.
Snakes include the poisonous Great Basin rattlesnake, found below 8,000 feet elevation; there are also nonpoisonous king snakes and gopher snakes. Amphibians found in the park include the Arizona tiger salamander, Great Basin spadefoot, red-spotted toad, and northern leopard frog. Tarantulas, those large, usually slow-moving hairy spiders, are often seen in late summer and fall. Contrary to popular belief, the tarantula's bite is not significantly poisonous to most people, although it may be somewhat painful.
Remember, it's illegal to feed the wildlife. No matter how much you may want to befriend an animal by offering food, please remember that it's not healthy for the wildlife to eat human food or to get used to being fed this way.
How to Snap Great Wildlife Photos -- The key to getting good wildlife photos is to know the animals' habits, such as where they go and when. Then, get there first and quietly wait.
