Wildlife Watching in Zion National Park

Watch out for a chuckwalla, and remember the word to flummox your friends back home. It’s the largest of Zion’s lizard varieties and can grow to 20 inches. The ringtail cat, a relative of the raccoon, prowls Zion Can-yon at night so stow your camping supplies securely. Along the Virgin River, you’ll see bank beavers, so named because they live in burrows dug into riverbanks instead of building dams. Of course, mule deer, big-horn sheep, hares, and ground squirrels are everywhere.

The peregrine falcon, among the world’s fastest birds, sometimes nests in the Weeping Rock area, where you’re also likely to see the dipper, winter wren, and white-throated swift. Also in the park are golden eagles, several species of hummingbirds, ravens, and piñon jays.

Snakes here include the poisonous Great Basin rattler, found below 8,000 feet elevation, as well as nonpoisonous kingsnakes and gopher snakes. Tarantulas are often seen in the late summer and fall. Contrary to popular belief, the tarantula’s bite is not deadly, although it can be somewhat painful.

Remember, it’s illegal to feed the wildlife.