Animal of the Grand Canyon

The first animal of the Grand Canyon you might see could be a mule or a chipmunk, and there are always plenty of birds.

A lot of people are familiar with the squirrels that live on the rims. They have become different subspecies from each other over the years since they've been separated by the canyon. The Kaibab squirrel is on the north rim and has a White tail while the Abert squirrel lives of the south rim and has a white belly.

The animal of the Grand Canyon with the funniest story may be the peaceful deer. Mule deer were the object of a hilarious "deer drive" that was supposed to move the animals from the overpopulated north rim to the south rim. It was a wild rodeo! The deer didn't want to go! They scattered throughout the canyon, never making it to the south rim, or even close. Since that time, some natural predators have been allowed to repopulate the area.

Bighorn sheep live in the inner canyon and run up and down the steep canyon sides that protect them from predators. They're not easy to spot since they're usually pretty far away and they blend in with the scenery. You might see them on the move in the morning though, up having their breakfast.

Maybe the biggest success story of any animal of the Grand Canyon is that of the California Condor. In 1996 condors were reintroduced into Arizona. Today, condors once again live in Arizona, and some of them at the canyon. If you're lucky, you'll see one!

There are plenty of reptiles in the Grand Canyon, like the chuckwalla and the Gila monster. Rattlesnakes are common here, and people in the backcountry are advised to keep an ear out.

The most famous animal of the Grand Canyon is probably the Mule. They've been carrying passengers up and down the canyon trails, since, well a long time anyway. I do know that they've been doing it commercially since the 1920s. They go up and down the trail every day, and have never lost park visitor. That doesn't mean they haven't misplaced a few! Okay, only kidding.

This site has a nice animal page. But one of the things I like the most about it are the pictures of the trails. Have a look.
Animal of the Grand Canyon

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